Happy Labor Day weekend to all our readers, sponsors, unions, journalists and families who are all hardworking people and deserve a break this weekend, so enjoy it. Here is a little bit of history that you might like to know about Labor Day weekend: Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and labor union leader, was the person who came up with the idea for Labor Day. He thought American workers should be honored with their own day. He proposed his idea to New York’s Central Labor Union early in 1882, and they thought the holiday was a good idea too.
So now that you know that you can enjoy it even more. As I explained in my last column about my my holiday (vacation) that I had at Greenwood Lake in upstate New York, I have to again say that it is a place you should visit and if you do please let me know how much you enjoyed it. I told you where I stayed I very much recommend The Waterstone Inn (62 Sterling Road, Greenwood Lake, NY; (845) 477-3535; innkeeper@waterstoneinn.com). Again, the reason I am recommending it is because it’s a hidden Irish gem that deserves a lot of attention from the Irish Community. The family that owns and hosts it is the Mulcahy family where Denis is from Rockchapel, County Cork and Miriam his wife is a native of County Leitrim. This bed and breakfast is as good as any Four Star hotel and is open all year round, now how about that? I’ll definitely be going back I can promise you that.
Here is a notice I just got in from Catholic Charities that is well worth informing you about. They told us of the 2020 Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Memorial Gold Classic to be held on Wednesday, October 7 at North Hills Country Club. The event will be hosted by Peter Striano and North Hills Country Club, now how could you miss it. We cannot look back on the last half-century of Catholic Charities without seeing the indelible handprint of Bishop Sullivan — and so much of his legacy has been about advocating strongly for children in need. Proceeds from the 2020 Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Memorial Golf Classic will benefit their Early Childhood Services. This year, their tournament will look a little different as they practice social-distancing protocols, but it will be just as much fun. For more information, contact Marty Golden at martin.golden@ccbq.org or Lucy Garrido-Mota at lucy.gmota@ccbq.org or call the Office of Development & Communications at (718) 722-6202.
They closed all the bars and restaurants in the city with no inside dining only allowing eating outside that is a joke. Inside service can actually be much more manageable, just like it is all over the world. I was seated on a table at Pershing Square right across from Grand Central Station on 42nd Street with some friends on Monday afternoon. There were a few others there having a meal and a drink. I looked inside and the place is basically in darkness; it should be jumping with customers at the time I was there. I am venting so much because the City Council don’t have a plan on how to reopen properly and this has nothing to do with politics, it’s about humanity. Before I became a publisher, I was in the service business as a bartender and an owner and I learned a lot about the business and how much staff, managers and owners care about this business and professionalism. You walk into any of their establishments and you get a smile and a Cead Mile Failte that in English is like hundred million welcomes as that is what it looks like and that is fabulous.
Now what you don’t know is that the preparation they have to do before they open the doors to make you comfortable is a lot of hard work before they even greet and serve you. I am not going to let up on what the City Council has done to the business as it is very disappointing and again could be done with a little bit of knowledge as they do not know that business and should have had a general meeting with all the owners and managers for advice because they were willing and waiting to advise the way to do it right. But instead they just threaten owners with closing and fining if they do not obey their rules. Instead, they should be talking to them on ways to do it right as it is done in Ireland and around the world. Some people will disagree with me on this subject and rightly so as I will accept it, but again it can be done in a very healthy way that will ensure that the customers will be safe, comfortable and most of all healthy. It can be done.
Now why am I so insistant about all of this? Because it’s hurting so many people and so many that I know put their life savings into a business for a better life. I did not even mention musicians who are also out of work and depend on it for a living. They too could play and entertain in a very professional manner that can also be created very easily and would give people some enjoyment until this pandemic is over and life can get back to normal. Very simply this is why the un employment figures are way up as you are talking about millions of people who are out of work in the entertainment and service industry and again it can easily be cured and fixed in a very professional way but not if the people who know nothing about the trades continue to dictate the rules. If you’d like to respond to what I have said in this column please feel free to do so by emailing editorial@irishexaminerusa.com.
That what I have for you this week and I hope to see you all again WHEN I am Out&About…