By Paddy McCarthy
It’s amazing that when some evenings you go out and though you never expect that it will be a very good evening, it turns out to be one… well that happened last Friday. I was invited to a private event and I do mean a very private event of course because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The restrictions at this event were very much enforced and were heeded as well by all who were invited. I am getting to the event, hold on as I am not going to rush in case I might forget those who I need to acknowledge.
Okay, here we go the concert was at the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens in Mineola, New York. I was invited by a unbelievable woman called Betty McLoughlin who has the Glenamoy, County Mayo blood through and through. I am only going to say this: that I can go on and on about Betty and about all her achievements for what she has done for our Irish communities and that is not a mistake, all the Irish Communities; she is my hero. Now again back to the event which featured a concert with none other than the great Joanie Madden and two musicians from Cherish the Ladies fame, namely Mary Coogan and her husband Bruce Foley.
Joanie I got to know a good few years ago and I watched her blossom to one of the greatest flute players that I have ever heard and I have seen most of them who are also brilliant I might tell yea. But Joanie is right in there with them and again most of them I know very well with a lot of respect.
Who did I get to sit with? Only the one and only Eileen Cronin of WRHU Hofstra University 88.7fm New York who’s normally on air every Saturday from 2 pm to 5 pm. Eileen was telling me she is not on air right now because of the pandemic and is waiting for the Dean of the College to give the word when all is safe, which I can understand. She is also a fundraiser for the Irish American Society and you better have something to donate in your pocket because she will always do her utmost to help the society.
There were a few people that I knew at the private concert: I could see Victor Cunneen, the top Irish entertainer and his wife, radio DJ Tony Jackson and his wife and the woman who was responsible for making sure that everything was going right, namely the society’s President Brigid McNulty. The volunteers were all just wonderful and again made things so comfortable for everybody, yes again it was another good night.
Back to the restaurant and pubs reopening in New York City… the situation is still beyond a joke. It was announced that all indoor dining can now open on September 30 at a 25% capacity, wow! It will be reviewed on November 1… Now remember that’s only four weeks as when you look at the dates it looks like a long time, it’s not. For a while now I have been calling for both the Governor and the Mayor to sit down with the owners and managers of all these establishments and to listen to them for their advice because they are the experts not them. As another plea I know that some of our readers are on the City Council and I am sure they would and should agree to listen to these people in the business. Do they know that this is the greatest CITY in the world and closing it down completely is not the answer! What would Frank Sinatra say to about the New York City that never sleeps if he were alive, “wake up New York”?.
I have just been speaking to a friend of mine, Barry Johnson, the owner of Pa Johnson’s Pub in Cork City to see what the reaction to the pubs just opening for the first time in over 6 months was? The answer he gave me was nervous. It has been a very long time for pubs to be closed especially for your regulars who probably stayed at home throughout the pandemic and would find it hard to get back to normality. Another big popular bar and restaurant in Douglas that has just opened its doors is the very popular Barry’s Bar and Restaurant that is owned by Peter Collins, the son of the famous Barry Collins businessman that passed away recently RIP. It is also well known for rugby and GAA players to visit with the sports fans that patronize it and you would never know who you would meet as last time I was there I got to meet one of the great legends, Billy Morgan and of course it is the home town of the great Donnie Carroll.
Back in Ireland there is bad news for publicans in Dublin as it is only for pubs outside of the capital that the government has lifted restrictions on this Monday past. In Dublin, all bars not serving food remain closed. New restrictions introduced at the weekend also saw a shutdown of indoor dining in pubs and restaurants in the capital for the next three weeks. I have to say that this good and not so good news as a lot of our readers were asking the questions and now you have it.
Here is a song that The Dubliners recorded in 1967 (originally recorded by Gordon Parsons in 1954) with words written by an Irish poet, Dan Sheahan in North Queensland called “A Pub with no Beer”.
“Oh it’s-a lonesome away from your kindred and all, By the campfire at night we’ll hear the wild dingoes call, But there’s-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear, Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer,”… that is just one of the verses just to give you a taste. I have to give you a little humor in these difficult times with a song to cheer us up and have a laugh and hopefully this pandemic will be all over soon and we have a vaccine.
Now here is another bit of good news that was sent to me from none other than Shane Humphreys, Dia Daoibh go Leir, He said he’d just heard some great news: Fergal and Alicia Brady, both proud Dubs and members of the Dublin Society welcomed their second child last Saturday. A baby girl, Isabella, 7 pounds 5 ounces. “Mom and child doing great. Congrats to Fergal and Alicia, and new big sister Sophia. Ath Cliath Abu”.
We are always happy to print any requests you have like birthdays, engagement’s, weddings, pictures and events that you might like to highlight just email them in to paddy@irishexaminerusa.com.
Next week I should have some pictures from some of the bars and restaurants that have just opened in Ireland as I am Out&About again. See you all then…