Did Clark Gable Inspire A Legendary Lake Elsinore Watering Hole?

Did we miss it? Is there an Irish contingency in Lake Elsinore?

, but some Irish lore might be found at – well, maybe, sort of.

Heather Newport is a bartender at the famous watering hole, which dates back to the 1950s, when patrons would come to the laid-back establishment to enjoy the lake, listen to live entertainment and bring their own steaks to barbeque on the pub’s long-gone grill.

As for the O’Hara’s moniker, it’s a bit of a mystery, Newport said. But rumor has it that an epic film and its handsome leading man may have played a starring role in the naming.

“The original owners had something to do with ‘Gone With The Wind.’ They had pictures of Clark Gable here, so we think that’s where the name might have come from,” Newport said.

It’s a guess for now, but Gable was known to have frequented Lake Elsinore during its Hollywood heyday.

As for Gable’s relationship with Viviane Leigh, a.k.a. Scarlett O’Hara, there is no evidence of an off-screen affair -- Internet lore suggests the sultry siren complained about "Rhett's" bad breath during filming -- so any romantic tie-in just doesn’t seem to fit.

Current O’Hara’s owners Steve and Eve Cescolini, have had the tavern for 18 years and they tout Irish blood. So the O’Hara’s name – and this year's annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring green beer, live entertainment with the classic rock band Odd Thomas, and free corned beef sandwiches – still works.

Cescolini? Irish blood? Really?

Yep: Eve’s maiden name was Sullivan.