Out & About

Now let the games begin! As you no doubt know, you have the World Cup coming up next year and the USA's qualifier against Mexico this Wednesday should be a thriller! Ireland's away for their next qualifying game, playing Cyprus on Saturday September 5... that's a big game for us!

You can get all the updates in our sports pages over the coming weeks and I know a lot of bar owners will be very interested in what games are going on over the next few months. It is going to be very exciting and should be also very good for business all over.

Thank you for all the kind comments that we've received  from our readers in the last couple of months on this column. We are having some fun bringing you all the news and a little bit of gossip as we wander Out & About.

We visited the Galway Hooker (East 36th Street between 5th and Madison Avenues) last Thursday evening and let me tell you, the hospitality is beyond words! They have one of the best Happy Hours in the city and as if to to prove it the place was jammed upstairs and down.

Although I do not believe he was an official Hibernian Kevin Smith was certainly a powerful force in the Irish music and political/social scene. 

Kevin died suddenly after giving a performance at Lily Flanagan's (in Islip) this past Saturday night.   

Kevin sang several times at the Easter Sunday Rising Commemoration in Mineola. The wake will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday from 2-4pm and 7-9pm at the Vernon Wagner Funeral Home (125 Old Country Road, Hicksville). The funeral is at St. Ignatius Church, at 9.30am on Thursday. May he rest in peace.

Yes, I know we are coming to the end of summer; some will be sad, others will be happy as this means lots of events happening between now and what? Christmas! I never said that did I?

Attention tavern, restaurant, nightclub, pub and bar owners and managers! A big one taking place on Monday, September 14: The 1st Annual NYC Bartender's Ball/End of the Summer Bash at Pier 84 overlooking the majestic Hudson River.

This event is been sponsored by the United Restaurant & Tavern Owners of New York, in association with the Murph Guide, The Irish Examiner and the New York Daily News.

There will be an open bar and food and over 1,000 members of the hospitality trade are expected to attend.

If you want to go you need to RSVP by calling (646) 781-9469 or e-mailing info@nycbartendersball.com.

The price is only $50 so that everyone's staff can join in the fun packed night (well, those that aren't working anyway) and you can help a good cause at the same time. All money raised will benefit Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, who offer support services to individuals with autism and their families.

The Ireland-US Council are having their 47th Annual dinner on Thursday, November 12 at The Metropolitan Club honoring William C. Weldon, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. For more information call (212) 867-6268.

City Park's Track and Field is being held this Wednesday, August 12, starting at 10am and running until 3.30pm. Check-in begins at 9.30am. This event is sponsored by ING/New York City Marathon with over 2,000 kids competing in the summer's ;argest track and field sports games at Icahn Stadium in Randall's Island Park.

These kids will be representing each  borough and will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals at the City Parks Annual Championship competition.

I am so sorry for the short notice for this announcement, but I had to put it in as it came to me late and, if you'd still like to enter you can call George Febles on (646) 554-4453.

I got to meet Jeff Cleary again on Monday as he came down from Albany for the day and I must say that this man is a busy fellow, going all over the city, helping out people with some problems and giving a lot of advice to people in the restaurant and bar industry.

If you could use his help, give him a call on (518) 209-1916 or e-mail jdc1916@aol.com.

We are so proud here at The Irish Examiner newspaper that we gave full support to The Irish Repertory Theatre for the two new shows that are now playing back to back ("After Luke" and "When I Was God" by Conal Creedon from Cork City) to packed houses. The show's running from July 29 to September 20 and should not be missed, as all the family will love them.

Tickets are only $65 or $55 and can be booked by calling (212) 727-2737.

We just got some great news from Enda Keegan that the annual Oyster Festival at PD Hurley's Hudson Cafe in Riverside Park is happening again on Saturday September 12 and Sunday September 13 and will also be at their location at PD Hurley's Pier 84 on the same dates.

Now this is going to be some fun moving between the two venues. Nobody can pull this off better that the man himself Paul Hurley. Good on yea Paul. There'll be a lot more information to come on the entertainment over the next few weeks. See you all next week.