Hello to all the regular readers of my Out&About, the big news this week is that I was in Ireland for a few days and then onto Manchester for another few last week. I was in Cork City to visit my family as that is where I was born in a little house that never had a television so you can imagine it was lots of fun, I can tell yea.
Looking around, the city was buzzing, all things seem to be going very well as I could see with the big stores all thriving and not cheap either let me tell yea. I stayed at the Metropole Hotel that is on Mac Curtin Street that was named after one of Ireland’s great heroes Tomás Mac Curtain who was a Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork. He was elected in January 1920 and assassinated on March 20 of the same year. Mac Curtain was shot dead in front of his wife and son by a group of men with blackened faces, who were found to be members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) by the official inquest. In the wake of the killing Mac Curtain’s house in Blackpool was ransacked. Now that is a little history for yea as this man will always be remembered as a proud Cork man.
As it rained a lot, we visited a few pubs – now what else can you do and a pint or two will do you no harm and that is what I have done, well somebody has to do it right? On a serious note anyone that has emigrated from Ireland to here should take a trip back home every now and then as the place is looking beautiful and will bring a tear to your eye. One great thing about going home is you get all the gossip on who’s dead, who got married, who had a baby and who is working, ah I love it.
Now that is enough about me. Coming up soon is the Saint Patrick’s Day Foundation’s Gala which will be honoring James T. Callahan, the 2020 Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and presenting Adrian Flannelly with the St. Patrick’s Day Presentation for his service to the Irish American Community. This is going to be some evening because they have a featured performance by the world renowned Sephira, the great Irish rock violinists. This event is not to be missed so for tickets email gala@stPatricksDayFoundation.org or call (914) 833-8363.
The Irish Business Organization has announced that Niall O’Leary has been selected as IBO Grand Marshal for the 2020 NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He will be formally installed with his aides at the IBO March Evening Networking Event that is on Wednesday March 4 at Scandinavia House (58 Park Avenue). Networking starts at 6:30 pm and the meeting begins at 7:15 pm. Email info@ibonewyork.org for more information.
Niall, who runs his own architecture practice, as well as the Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance, is a long-time member and also former President of the IBO (2010-11). Their pre-St. Patrick’s Day event will also feature guest speaker Sean Lane, born in New York City and raised in Galway and now the Chair of Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Board.
Here are a couple of other events that should interest you. Three years ago The Priests from Northern Ireland traveled to New York for a concert to benefit Kylemore Abbey. One of the priests, Fr. David Delargy, is bringing 68 students from Assumption School (County Down, Northern Ireland) to the city to sing, dance and perform music on March 16 at the beautiful Church of St. Vincent Ferrer located between 65th and 66th at Lex. This event will be one to remember and is a fundraiser for St. Vincent Ferrer High School. The Assumption choir is known nationally in Ireland as one of the top school choirs. The Assumption students have been fundraising for over a year to make this trip possible. They will be marching in the parade the next day under the County Down banner. Please plan to attend and support the school. This will be a memorable concert! And remember it’s Monday, March 16 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $50 for reserved seats in the front and $25 for adult general admission, with students paying $15. Call (212) 535-4680, extension 100 or go to their website at www.saintvincentferrer.com.
New York’s inclusive St. Pat’s for All Parade is set for March 1. The day opens with concert at the Irish Arts Center and their Grand Marshals are award-winning folk musician Mick Moloney and Johanna Flores, representing Hour Children. Led by the Pipers of the FDNY the 2020 St. Pat’s for All Parade takes place this Sunday at 12 pm from 43rd Street and Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside to 58th Street and Woodside Avenue. Over 120 registered groups include Irish organizations, pipe bands, veterans, puppets, scouts, immigrant and confirmed include Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, LGBT community groups. Scott Stringer, NY State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, NY State Senator Mike Gianaris, NY State Assembly members Catalina Cruz and Brian Barnwell, State Senator Jessica Ramos, NY Council Speaker Corey Johnson, NY Council Member Danny Dromm and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. Consul General Ciarán Madden will represent the Irish Government.
See you all again next week when I am Out&About once more.