Out & About

You know the usual question: what are you doing for the weekend? Well, we'll be going to Nevada Smiths to watch the World Cup and see Ireland beat Cyprus and next up Italy. Come on boys we can do it!

Last Thursday night we had a blast on the MurphGuide Cruise around the New York  Harbor with some great guests on board. You had the man himself, Sean Murphy; Dermot Kelly, Terry Tiernan, Debbie Fox, Bill Carey, Brendan Burke and lots more having a good time.

I was at Murphy's Bar & Grill last Friday to meet some people for a couple of pints and we just missed the proprietor Michael Murphy as he was after heading to Queens to look after his other establishment. Oh those Galway men, they never stop.

We then headed off to the Rockville Center to meet up with Dermot Kelly and a few more friends at Monaghan's Irish Restaurant (48 North Village Avenue). The proprietors are Kathleen and Niall who treated us so well. The place is highly recommended as the food is superb, let me tell you.

Along the way who joined our company but Sean O'Rourke, President of Coast-Line International who are in the Tech business, and again a few more pints were consumed as nobody was driving on the night as we paid a visit to the Blackthorn Irish American Restaurant and Bar which is right across the street from Monaghan's. You have to see this place... it's huge with lots of Irish historical artifacts  on the walls that will blow you away.

I can only say that you've got to visit Rockville Center as it must have about 30 Irish bars and restaurants for your pleasure.

The welcome that The Irish Examiner newspaper got was over the moon and I do encourage everyone to visit Rockville Center as they also have the biggest Saint Patrick's Day parade on Long Island. 

We went out for dinner with Noel and Tilly McPartland on Sunday night at The Inn at New Hyde Park on Jericho Turnpike. This is one of the finest catering venues for all events big or small and especially for weddings and dinner dances. Again, this place is a gem - we had a four course meal that is very reasonably-priced. For reservations call (516) 354-7797 and tell them that we  sent you.

We made another stop at a new beautiful bar and grill - O'Carroll's Recovery Room right on the Mineola train station where we meet the owners Jerry and Denis O'Carroll who gave us a guided tour. Let me tell that there is no stopping the Irish! These lads are from Kerry and they were in a very happy mood after Kerry beat Meath that day. Next up is Cork though we got on very well.

They brought in a lot of the bar all the from Ireland; it's out of this world.

I will be back as they have lots of nice big plasma TVs and a fireplace; now what more would you need huh? Oh, I nearly forgot the Guinness was as if it was in Dublin.

We're heading to Stone Street again this Thursday to visit some of the bar-owners and sit outside to have a cold one with all the gang. We also hope to catch up with what is happening and do the rounds.

The annual P.D. Hurley's Oyster Festival will be held  on the 12 and 13 of September at P.D. Hurley's on the Pier (84 West 44th Street) on the Saturday and on the Sunday it will be at Riverside Park (104th Street). It's free admission so call (212)873-1900 for more information.

I had the pleasure of meet the magic man himself Dave Cremin and his wife Jude at Eamonn's Bar & Grill in the company of Eamonn.

It was just like the old days when we all hung around. The craic was mighty, talking about when we all worked over on the Eastside as bartenders when we'd got off the boat... just kidding, it was a plane obviously...

Join Tommy Smyth and Treasa Goodwin Smyth, for live coverage of the All Ireland Football Final, Kilkenny taking on Tipperary on WFUV 90.7fm, Fordham University Radio New York. It all starts at 10.15am on Saturday with a pre-game show, and then there's live coverage of the game, a half-time segment and, following the game, a post game rap with Treasa Goodwin Smyth, host of the 'Ireland Calls' radio show.

Have you gone to see any of the five-week long festival of Irish theatre across New York City yet?

Well it just started this Tuesday and goes on until October 4. It's on at 12 venues across the city with 21 Irish playwrights and 375 artists. Make sure you go and see the cream of Irish talent performing! For tickets and more information log onto 1stIrish.org.

Have a great Labor Day weekend as we will be closed for the next two weeks. I don't know what are you going to do when you do not get your weekly read. I can only tell you that we will be back bigger and better on the newsstands all over New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Boston, Pennsylvania andAlbany; now is that good news or what?

Oh, I'm not finished yet - we will start from Tuesday September 15 and you can now pick the paper up on Tuesdays with all your local and international news! 

See you all in two weeks.