The sky was gray but the spirit was green, as were the sweaters, buttons and headgear worn by nearly 50 guests in a cluster of three area homes partying together on St. Patrick’s Day.

The O’Brien family was first to host, with appetizers and drinks. The Wilson’s across the street served the main course, and those still with room in their bellies sauntered next door to the Lemmon’s for homemade cookies , mint chocolate chip ice cream pie and other sweets.

The three homes are on South 197th Street near Second Avenue South, in the heart of Normandy Park.

And heart they had. The gathering was bittersweet, as Patrick O’Brien, who started the tradition there five years ago, died in January of pancreatic cancer.

His wife, Donna, son Sean and daughters Kaci and Megan said they wanted to continue the tradition in the spirit of Patrick.

“This is a celebration to my dad,”Kaci Tingley said. “He brought everybody together for the sixth year now.”

Prior to moving to Normandy Park, the O’Briens lived on Southwest 51st Street in West Seattle, where this St. Patrick party tradition originated.

During appetizers, Tingley explained, “When dad’s best friend Gary Leahy died, he got the idea for the party. He painted our street green and added four-leaf clovers with Gary’s name. The first year it rained and green paint went everywhere. Our neighbor’s were surprised to see that their dogs had green feet after their walk. They noticed our green doorknob and figured out the paint was my dad’s idea.”

“The O’Briens moved here in 2000, and Pat and I found out we both loved to cook,” said Jerry Wilson, while organizing his main course across the street, in his dining room. “About three years later, Pat came over one evening and said we ought to have a St. Patrick’s dinner. He says he’s going to make fried chicken and potato salad. I said, ‘That ain’t St. Patrick’s Day. I’ll make corned beef and cabbage.’ He said, ‘I don’t like corned beef. What else do Irish eat?’ So I said, ‘Pat, for God sakes your last name is O’Brien and you’re asking me?’”

Wilson then shared a salmon teriyaki recipe that he said O’Brien really liked. It was served this time around, cooked by Pat’s wife, Donna, along with Wilson’s traditional Irish fare.

Jeff Stock, Jr. enjoyed dessert with his mother-in-law, Janet Lemmon, at her house.

A physical education teacher at Hedden Elementary in Edgewood, he comes from celebrity “stock,” you might say.

His father Jeff Stock, Sr. played soccer for the Seattle Sounders and Storm in the 1980s. And ,his father Wes Stock was a major league pitcher, then the first Seattle Mariners pitching coach and later a scout.

“My grandfather did color commentary but didn’t stay on because they said his grammar wasn’t correct,” said Jeff, Jr., with a wry smile.

Biting into a green, frosted cookie at the Lemmon’s was Mark Myers, the mail carrier for all three houses.

“I feel very privileged to have delivered the mail 23 years here,” he said. “These are the most wonderful, generous people there are. During Christmas they overwhelm me with cookies, cupcakes, everything. A few times they even tried to give me money, but I couldn’t accept it. Company policy.”