By Paddy McCarthy
My Out&About this week coming to you this week from Cork, Ireland where I have been for a few days to visit family and friends. I stayed at the Metropole Hotel for the whole duration of my trip. And lo and behold who would you think I would meet? The one and only Donie Carroll, the great Ballad and Folk singer who was with a tour group that included members of the Port Jefferson Yacht Club from New York, who were also staying at the Metropole Hotel. What a coincidence that was, you just can’t hide, ha-ha.
My first meeting at the hotel was with Barry Coughlan, Travel Correspondent for The Irish Examine USA. I have to tell you this: Barry is one of the most talented travel correspondents that I could ever wish for as he does unbelievable coverage of tourism in Ireland and beyond for us every week with content that is very popular with all our readers.
I was just walking from the hotel when I got to meet another Barry, yes it was Barry Johnson, owner of Pa Johnson’s legendary pub next door to the Murphy’s Brewery and of course I paid a visit to Pa Johnson’s later that day for all the memories we had there. I also got to meet Finbarr Cott who lives in Cork City but also has a house in Riverdale in the Bronx that he visits quite a lot so it’s great to meet him when I come back to Cork each time. I had a pint and a bit of gossip with him in the Long Valley. I always love talking to him about all the news.
I went to Barry’s Bar and Restaurant in Douglas Village that is not too far from the city center of Cork to meet the McCarthy family brothers, with myself, Joe, Michael, Bernard, John, Kieran, his wife Geraldine and their son Ryan and his girlfriend Leona.
I was hoping to get to meet Peter Barry as he is a great friend only, he was away on business, maybe next time as we did have a great time all together with most of the family with a few pints and very nice food that we ordered as well. This is why I love my trips back home, meeting so many people on my travels, especially family and friends.
I also met up with Barry Twomey who now lives in Cork, and is late of O’Connor Fairways Travel Agency. Yes of course, I also met up with my sister Mary and her husband Gerald Murphy as I just can’t miss her breakfast as it’s the best in the world and I do mean that, so I always make it one of my first stops when I get back to Cork.
Now moving along on my Out&About I got to meet Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director at Trigon Hotels including the Metropole, Cork International Hotel and Cork Airport Hotel. I also got to meet the General Manager of the Metropole Hotel, Louise McNamara who is a brilliant host for the hotel. The man out front Sean O’Connell, Guest Relations Waiter at the hotel is also an absolutely brilliant host.
I also met with the legendary Jackie Lyons (the Bell and famous rock band The Who) and one of the greatest entertainers of the Showband era Joe McCarthy, of The Dixies Showband known all over the world and still playing drums better than ever again every Sunday at 6 pm in the famous Canty’s Bar in Cork City. Check him out he will be thrilled to meet you.
My friends from when we were kids growing up in James Square off Tower Street and still great friends to this day as we meet every time I head back to Cork a couple of times a year call ourselves the Cork Boys Gang, Tony Creed, Steven Dennehy, Tommy O’Shea, and Tom Holland. Unfortunately Michael Hehir was not able to make it as he was in Dublin for a doctor’s appointment.
I also visited the Blackrock Cemetery to visit the grave to say a prayer for my late mom Christina, dad Thomas and my younger brother Kevin, RIP.
While Out&About I paid a visit to my local hangout in my music days, Pa Johnson’s which is still a famous meeting place for musicians and there is always some band playing music a couple of nights a week. I also always make a stop at the Long Valley, normally one of the first stops, and I get a great welcome from the owner Padder Moynihan.
I then visited one of Cork’s most famous bars that was established in 1793 by the Huguenots from France. Le Chateau has been a successful fine wine and spirit business from the first day it opened and is still the only pub on Patrick’s Street in Cork City. I always give it a visit when I take a trip back home to Cork and I got to meet one of the owners, Michael Reidy of the Reidy family.
These are some of the other establishments that I visited: Mutton Lane Inn, The Bodhran, The Fountain, The Rob Roy, and Gallaghers Bar and Restaurant that serves great food on McCurtain Street and if you make it there on one of your visits say hello to Neill Kramer, the manager, and you will get a hundred thousand welcomes.
I did visit a few more that I forget, ha-ha…This was one of my best Out&Abouts that I ever had and I hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About about again.