I just got my first vaccination jab on Saturday last for Covid-19 in Jones Beach’s Parking Field 3 on Long Island. I am so glad to get it as it was the first one and the second one will be administered on March 3. I could say I was lucky as I know there is a long waiting list but with a little bit of perseverance with phone calls I was on the list. I am not bragging about it as I want everyone who applies to get it and get it sooner rather than later and not be put on a waiting list like it is in Ireland. I’m not putting them down in Ireland, it’s just that I have been talking to family and friends and some of them have to wait till April. Now what is all that about?
Ireland is just a small country compared to most if not all of the European countries that seem to be doing things quicker than they have. Now, I am not blaming the government and not saying anything political only I do care about it and is somebody dragging their feet? Again, from what I am told you cannot call as it’s your doctor who calls you. Now what the Hell is that about.
I was just reading that 80,000 vaccines have now been distributed to those over 85 years or older. God help the rest as they have to wait. From what I can see and have seen over here they seem to be more mobilized and very efficient. The biggest counties in the Republic as far as population goes are Dublin and Cork so how do they break it down? That’s all I would like to know and I have not seen any data or anything anywhere on how it’s done. I better stop as I might put someone’s nose out of joint and the only reason I am talking so much about it is because I care and I wish everybody got the vaccine with no discriminations on age or gender. As I have said over and over again this virus does not pick and choose and that’s it.
This week I heard from a good friend of mine, Peter Ryan, Ireland’s Ambassador to Aotearoa, New Zealand. He sent me this and it’s nice to know as well that he is doing a great job, being so far away. This is what he said: “I get to join many special occasions, but yesterday was a very historic one as I joined my colleague Faran Foley in Parliament for the Maiden Speech of Damien Smith MP. Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Damien has lived in Auckland for 25 years and is the ACT Party List MP for Botany. He brings extensive international business experience to the role and spoke movingly of growing up during the conflict in the North of Ireland. Damien also referenced the fact that he is the 62nd Irish-born Member of the New Zealand Parliament, which included three PMs and Thomas Bracken who wrote ‘God Defend New Zealand’. We wish Damien well in his new role and look forward to welcoming him again to many of our community events.”
It’s also great to know also that the Ambassador gets The Irish Examiner USA every week, yippee!
The IBO Women’s St. Brigid Day Virtual Networking Lunch will take place on Friday, February 19 from Noon to 1:30 pm. Their special guest will be New York-born Irish designer Jennifer Rothwell who’ll be zooming in from Ireland to visit with one of her favorite Irish diaspora groups. Many IBO members are devoted fans of Jennifer’s work, which include bow ties and scarves, bomber jackets, kimonos and leggings, and most recently, a collection of silk face masks printed and made in Ireland.
The next IBO Business Networking Breakfast will be held on Tuesday, February 23 from 8 am to 9 am. Join them for a St. Patrick’s Day pre-heat with special guest acclaimed chef, writer, and raconteur Terry McCoy. His cookery book, “Saint Patrick’s Plate”, brings to life recipes from the 5th century as Saint Patrick and his followers traversed Ireland spreading the gospel. Chef Terry will be zooming in from the Skerries coast, where legend has it that St. Patrick founded his first Church on St. Patrick’s Island.
He’ll welcome us into his kitchen and explain the recent movement back to “shoots and roots” and why food and cooking from St. Patrick’s time was healthy, high in energy values, and free from modern methods of preservation and extension of shelf life. For more information call (212) 750-8118 or email info@IBONewYork.org.
Another good friend of The Irish Examiner USA is Michael Mellamphy who has just finished a very successful run with Origin Theatre’s 1st Irish Festival in the month of January in New York.
Award-winning playwright David Gilna will follow in the footsteps of Brendan Behan, Oscar Wilde and Sean O’Casey when his play ‘The Unsung Hero’ is staged in New York from March 16 to 20, streaming live to your devices and starring Irish actor Michael Mellamphy.
Fresh from the recent success of co-curating Origin Theatre Company’s 1st Irish festival 2021, New York based actor Michael “Mick” Mellamphy will take on the role of The O’Rahilly in the play ‘The Unsung Hero’. The play was commissioned by Dublin City Council for the 2016 Easter Rising Centenary Commemorations to critical acclaim having its world premiere at The Theatre Upstairs with the support of the late Karl Shiels. The play went on to launch further commemorations at Fingal County Council and Kerry County Council.
The play will also feature musical performances from Rob Vickers (Olivier Award winner for his performance in the 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables in London’s West End), dancing and choreography from world renowned Nawal Elabdri (Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, Riverdance, Prodijig and Dear Fingal) and lead female vocalist Rebecca Murphy (Irish Dreams, The Unsung Hero, Taylor’s Tree Rock Irish Cabaret). The play is an unforgotten love story from Easter week 1916 between Michael O’Rahilly (The O’Rahilly), co-founder of The Irish Volunteers and his wife Nancy O’Rahilly, vice-president of the Cumann na mBan.
Of the project Mellamphy said: “Having executed an almost a month-long festival of over 20 productions with 1st Irish 2021 entirely online, I feel re-energized about presenting the work of playwrights in this format. Although we do miss the intimacy of in person and live performances, we are able to reach new heights with audience engagement. The most exciting element of this project with David Gilna productions and my own The Pigeon Theatre Company is being able to tell the story of a somewhat overlooked Irish hero of Easter week, ‘The O’ Rahilly’, to a new audience.”
It is scheduled to be streamed online from 2 pm EST on March 16th -20th straight to your devices for the Saint Patrick’s Week of Festivities in order to coincide with online celebrations of Ireland’s most famous Saint. Each ticket is valid for 24 hrs of streaming. Information and tickets are available by going to ThePigeonTheatre.com
Hope to see you all again when I am Out&About again…