By Paddy McCarthy
I went to meet a friend of my family at the New Yorker Hotel on 8th Avenue at the corner of 34th Street. Her name was Eleanor Hurley who is the sister of the famous singer Gina of the Champions Showband. I can also tell you that Eleanor is also is a great singer just like her sister and a musician as she plays the guitar and also the piano accordion brilliantly. She was over in New York and New Jersey with her friend for a few days shopping and having a good time. It was great to sit down with her to have a coffee in the hotel café that really looks great. She was leaving that afternoon with her friends to catch a flight from Newark Airport back to London where she now resides and I heard might be moving back to Cork, Ireland very soon. Oh,I better keep that quiet until it’s certain. I never said it as it is all only gossip, right?
Project Children’s 50th Anniversary was held in County Monaghan, Ireland. To mark the 50th anniversary milestone for Project Children, and to ensure its message of peace through the eyes of children spreads for generations, Project Children has forged a cultural partnership with Monaghan County Council and the Peace Campus in Monaghan town, dedicated to cross community and cross border peace initiatives across the island of Ireland. This partnership will see the protection, preservation and perpetuation of the charity’s 50-year legacy at the Monaghan Peace Campus. This state-of-the-art building will showcase the archives of this iconic organization, that offered 23,000 children a summer reprieve in America from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Here’s some more great news that I have just heard on my Out&About to bring you is The Grand Council of United Emerald Societies (GCUES) has announced that the Honorable Patrick J. Ryder, Police Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department, and a member of the Nassau County Police Emerald Society, will be honored with the prestigious 2026 Irishman of the Year award at the GCUES Irishman of the Year Dinner which will be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Antun’s of Queens Village. Patrick, a proud son of Irish emigrant parents hailing from County Dublin, Ireland, embarked on his law enforcement career with the New York City Police Department on January 4, 1984. Subsequently, he joined the Nassau County Police Department on July 18, 1986. Throughout his illustrious career, Ryder’s unwavering dedication, exceptional work ethic, and deep-seated pride in his Irish heritage have propelled him to the esteemed position of Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department.
In recognition of his remarkable 42 years of service in law enforcement and his profound Irish heritage, Commissioner Ryder will serve on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, as the GCUES Aide to the NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade led by Grand Marshal, Robert J. McCann.
Now I have a message from playwright, author and IAW&A member Maura Mulligan: “On behalf of Nollaig na mBan NY, I invite you to celebrate Samhain, the Celtic New Year. As we have done for many years now, we will enjoy a costume dinner party, held this year on October 31st at 6 pm at a favorite festive location, The Playwright Tavern at 202, West 49th Street.
“The costume theme is ‘Inspirational Souls from Literature, Theater and Nature’, helping to bring hope and joy to our world. You can choose to give a presentation of up to four minutes sharing attributes of your chosen character, or opt to be a ‘silent spirit’ if speaking is not something in your comfort zone right now. There will be traditional music and song by Mary Courtney and Sheila Maguire. A candle light ceremony will follow where we remember loved ones who have passed this year.
“Adding Nature to our theme suggested we donate to an environmental cause for Samhain, benefitting the planet as a whole. The National Wildlife Foundation seemed a great choice, given its long history and impact on educational programs offered in the NY public schools. To join the party or for more information, please email me at mauramulligan@aol.com.”
This also came to me, a message from the Tipperary Association: “Due to inclement weather forecasted, including wind and rain, we need to postpone our 13th Annual Tipperary Field Day, which was due to take place this Sunday, October 12 at Redmond Park in Yonkers, NY. It’s disappointing, as we had a fun day lined up.We are waiting on confirmation for a new date, so will keep you informed. But its looking like Sunday, October 26th, weather permitting.”
Hope to see you again next week when I am Out&About about again.