Barry Guillotte of New Iberia enjoys cooking for friends, especially when he has an opportunity to cook Guinness stew for St. Patrick’s Day. KARMA CHAMPAGNE / THE DAILY IBERIAN

Pots of gold, dancing leprechauns and lucky shamrocks are telltale signs of the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day.

There’s a little bit of Irish in everyone on St. Patrick’s Day. Whether it’s enjoying an evening celebration with friends and a little green beer or a traditional Irish dinner, the holiday will not go unnoticed Thursday.

There are plenty of ways to cook up some Irish fun on that special day. Prepare a traditional dinner with Irish stew and soda bread, corned beef and cabbage or shepherd’s pie for that special St. Patty’s Day celebration.

Complete the meal with a St. Patty’s Day-inspired dessert, such as a festive green-colored “Lucky You Mint Pie” or a decorative giant shamrock cookie for good luck. Sprinkle some green confetti on the table and use a potted shamrock plant as a centerpiece and the party will be well remembered by family and friends.

Barry Guillotte, owner of Mulligan’s Old Irish Pub in New Iberia, enjoys cooking traditional Irish dishes, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. He never lets the Irish holiday slip by without holding a celebration at his pub — complete with Irish music and a serving of Irish food that will make any leprechaun think he has found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Don’t be fooled by Guillotte’s Cajun name. He can cook a savory pot of Irish stew just as well as crawfish etouffee or any other Cajun dish.

It doesn’t have to be St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy traditional Irish food, Guillotte said. He often cooks a pot of “Paw Paw’s Mulligan Stew” or Guinness stew to take a break from Cajun food.

Guillotte said his love for Irish food comes from his mother who was of Irish descent.

“The recipe for ‘Paw Paw’s Mulligan Stew’ was passed down from my grandfather (the late Lawton L. Herring) and it is one of my favorite Irish dishes,” he said.

Corned beef or an Irish stew prepared with lamb and chunks of potatoes and carrots are always a welcome change. And if the luck of the Irish is with you, they’ll be plenty of leftovers for the next day.