By Paddy McCarthy
I am ready to be Out&About again as things seem to be getting back to some normality I hope and pray. Please be careful still as it is not over yet and I am sure the precautions are still in place regarding wearing masks. Why am I telling you all this? Because I care about you all and we’ve all lost someone we know and family members I am sure, so that is why. It has been all doom and gloom for almost two years in a situation that I hope we will never again see in all our lifetimes. In saying all this there is a light at the end of the tunnel, believe mem as I can see a lot happier times coming where we can all mingle again and look forward to better times ahead. This is not a political pandemic it is a worldwide sickness that has to be cured and I know it will by the real experts who are now working in their labs and are not looking for any publicity like some other people, I will say no more.
Now back to a big story that really reflects on my Out&About as the thirst is getting to me now. Yes, it’s about one of our own who is like the phoenix rising, well he never went away anyhow and that is a man from Kildare who I can seriously call a friend and not alone me but to anyone he meets. Yes, I am talking about Garrett Doyle.
Going back a couple of years ago in this column I said one thing and that is the Irish are the best in the hospitality business and they are and Garrett Doyle is a prime example. He came to America in the early 90s to pursuer his dreams just like all of us and he has, isn’t that a beautiful start to this story that I am about to introduce to you.
Garrett, founder of New York City’s Tuttles Bar & Grill (www.tuttlesnyc.com) has revealed that his newest restaurant Five Furlongs Tavern (www.fivefurlong.com) will open its doors on August 12th in the Catskills hamlet of East Durham, NY at 2478 New York Highway 145.
Located in the home of the original ‘Furlongs,’ founded by well-respected Irish couple Yvonne & Tom Furlong, Garrett plans to employ all the characteristics of what made the original Furlongs such a beloved community establishment by offering locals a place to enjoy great food, cold drinks, and live music.
The revitalized space includes a fully renovated interior complete with custom-made bar, wood-burning stove, and upright Steinway piano. The bar will host Irish and American sports on their many HDTVs located inside, and out in the garden. The reimagined venue will feature a 40ft stage for performing arts and live music sessions, and a state-of-the-art plug-and-play sound system.
Plans are in the works for a courtesy shuttle for Five Furlongs patrons obtained from New York’s Central Park Boathouse.
“We look forward to opening our doors and inviting the local community to come together for some great food, live music sessions, craic and pints. We plan to honor the legacy of this historic pub by bringing it back to its former glory, and once again making this venue a local favorite,“ said Garrett.
Plans for the restaurant embrace the landmark’s natural surroundings, incorporating two large decks in the back of the property overlooking the turquoise-hued waters of ‘Furlongs Bridge’ and waterfall, and a forward-facing deck on legendary Route 145. The lush garden patio is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy one of Five Furlongs’ signature cocktails and local fare. Enjoy late-night drinks by the fire pit or sip a cocktail under the pergola in the afternoon sun.
Weekends will be a treat with family-style picnics featuring outdoor grills and smokers. Doyle’s Farm Truck, a retired fire truck that Doyle converted into a bar, will service the garden in addition to regular table service. Each of the 32 counties of Ireland will be honored by their flag, which will proudly be hung from flag poles on the property. The restaurant will be open every day for brunch, lunch, happy hour, and dinner with a menu that features an array of American and Irish-American restaurant favorites, local beer and wine, and farm-to-table produce supplied by sister company Doyle’s Farm, located in New Paltz, NY.
Five Furlongs Tavern is conveniently located in the Catskills hamlet of East Durham, NY. Nearby tourist attractions include Windham Mountain, Hunter Mountain, Kaaterskill Falls, Zoom Flume Water Park, and the Hudson River.
Garrett is from County Kildare, Ireland and emigrated to America in 1995. He founded the midtown Manhattan restaurant, Tuttles Bar & Grill in 2013. In 2020 he launched Doyle’s Farm & Equestrian Center, a full-service professional horse-training facility located on 80 lush acres in New Paltz, NY.
Doyle is past president of the United Irish Counties Association of New York, the County Kildare Association of New York, the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division IV New York County and the Emerald Guild Society (Irish and Irish American Building Managers of New York.)
Doyle is former trustee of the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and is a member of the Knights of Saint Patrick. He was The Irish Examiner Newspaper’s 2009 Man of the Year and in 2013 was awarded the Pat Cahill Memorial Award by The Ancient Order of Hibernians of America.
For more information, please visit www.fivefurlong.com. To make a reservation, please call (917) 656-0674. I am almost crying with the enjoyment on what he has done and yes, I will be there for the opening on Thursday, so you are all invited, so get on the bus, yippee!
I want to thank Bridget O’Brien for enlightening me about the USA IDA Academic All-American Awards and Scholarships. We gave this event coverage last week and is close to my heart as I danced with the McTaggart’s School of Dancing in Cork, I hope Tommy Byrne sees this in Boston as we competed a long time ago; he won of course. Back to this event, I am very proud of all the dancers who performed at these awards as I know that the time that they put in to get ready for these events is tough and a lot of sweat is lost in practicing so I would like to congratulates all who have competed and the coaches as it takes a lot of dedication to fulfill these dreams. They all deserve praise for what they have achieved.
See you all again when I am Out&About…