Irish Wake for Santa Claus to be held at Lefty O'Doul's

John Toomey

​We hate to break it you almost as much as you will probably hate to break it to your kids: Santa Claus is dead.

Now let's get wasted.

We can't vouch for the vital signs of the mythical North Pole inhabitant himself, but we do know that John Toomey, arguably San Francisco's most prominent incarnation of Saint Nick, passed away last week. And to commemorate his death, an Irish wake will be held on Friday at Lefty O'Doul's, the restaurant and bar where Toomey worked toward the end of his life.

Toomey became a minor national celebrity last year when he was fired from the Macy's department store on Union Square for telling a dirty joke to adults. He got a better-paying gig up the street at Lefty O'Doul's and assumed his place in the pantheon of quirky San Francisco icons.

He was found dead in his hotel room on Market Street. No cause of death has been determined.

The wake will feature beer and corned beef, as well as live music performed by some reporters with whom Toomey made friends, including Kevin Fagan of the San Francisco Chronicle. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m., and will also feature a toy donation drive by the San Francisco Fire Department.

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