Out & About

I have been warning you for the last few weeks that this event was the place to be and the place to be seen.

The music was superb, the food could not have been better, the drinks were plentiful and the patrons well, they were the best as the atmosphere was electric and happy.

Everyone and anyone that is involved in the Irish community and in the bar trade was aboard the ship for a fun-packed night trip around New York.

Just to tell you again, keep this date in your diary for next year as so many missed out on this great charitable event all in the cause of Project Children.

The man himself, Denis Mulcahy, was aboard and guess what: he had his dancing shoes on because every time I looked he out on the floor it was hard to keep up with him. Good on yea Denis you're the best!

I could write this whole column all about the cruise, but I would need two pages and my editor, well what can I say? He'd not be too happy as it might take up some very good news pages; so I will do my best to let you quickly know who was aboard.

You had Sean Crowley from The Breton Law Society, Marty Glennon from Archer, Bylington, Glennon & Levine, Mike Kelly from Dev Group Properties, Dan Deegan from Forchelli, Curto, Crowe, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Cohn and, let me tell you, lots more, including Debra Fox, Pete Scalley (the world famous coffee man - this man is everywhere), Pat Burke and his wife Lilly of the Pig'n'Whistle, Cormac McCormack of O'Briens Irish Pub and Bruce Caulfield and his wife Catherine of Tracks Raw Bar & Grill, along with the head bartender Liam Whyte and his wife Tara.

Oh, I nearly forgot that I also saw Michael O'Brien of Tracks with his checkered shirt, maybe he thought he was going to a Rodeo show on the ship? Sorry Mike, we were sailing, just kidding.

Dermot  Kelly the master of ceremonies and all his volunteers were just brilliant in making everyone comfortable on the trip and also for helping in the selling of the raffle tickets that, as I said is, were all for a good cause: Project Childern.

I mustn't forget to mention the musicians who gave all their time for free. It was the cream of the crop of Irish talent onboard though!

You had The Cunningham Brothers, Celtic Cross plus a special guest (I wonder who he was?), The Screaming Orphans for whom this was the first time on the boat and they were great, the Shay Mac Band, Tom Casey and Friends.

All of them played to perfection and the music suited everyone's taste.

I should also mention another man from the A.O.H. Division 7 who has been working so hard behind the scenes: none other than Terry Tierney and what a worker this man is. He never stops, believe me, and he's also a Big man.

The other girls, you like that girls, were none other than Maureen McLoughlin, Dolores Walsh and Sinead Keegan, and they were the best.

The party after was at O'Brien's Irish Pub, though I have to say I did not make it (what a party-pooper?) as I hade a dentist appointment the next morning. Yes I know what you're saying...

Now on a more serious matter: the man that never made it was Maurice Landers, he was seen making his way around the car park. He looked like he was wondering where he was as I did not see Kelly that very nice lady that is normally in his company.

Ah-ha, that was it, she must have called as Elvis Costello was in town so he canceled out on the boat; I wonder who is the boss.

Hi, HI, Bloomsday! You know what that means: put on your hats and gloves and meet with the gentry of Irish Theatre like the famous Milo O'Shea my personal hero and his lovely wife actress Kitty O'Sullivan looking beautiful as usual.

Well the impresario Ciaran O'Reilly, the producing director of The Irish Repertory and his true boss Charlotte Moore (their artistic director) were both out and about. What can I say, you will never see one with out the other, and that's good because they are the Irish culture here in New York and also great friends.

Mr. Niall Burgess, Consul General of Ireland and Ms Marie Morgan Burgess, Eugene Downes, the Chief Executive of Culture Ireland and Enrique Juncosa, Director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art held a lunch at the Residence of the Consul General on Tuesday to celebrate James Joyce and Bloomsday in music, words and food, plus some wine.

Now that's telling you as we had lots of guests at the lunch like Jeff Cleary, Chris Callaghan, both down from Albany, Adrian Flannelly, James O'Malley, and D.J. Carey (who is getting a little better with his health). Also in attendence was Bill Whelan (from Riverdance)!

See you all next week.