By Paddy McCarthy
Can you believe that we are coming to the end of Summer already? It is nearly all over and I’m thinking where the Hell was I? You just don’t know where the time went when your having some fun. A lot did happen this summer as I moved house a bit farther out in Long Island and the train ride into the city is about another extra half hour, with no bar car, just kidding. I am just a little distance from the water with a lot of luxury yachts, no, not mine; while it’s nice to dream of course it probably will never happen. Now you have an idea what I was doing, how was your summer? The reason I am asking is because this coronavirus has not left us yet and is still very dangerous so please mask up and forget about the politics that surrounds it, listen to the doctors and no one else. I’m glad I got that off my chest as it was building up inside me for the whole summer.
You know what’s coming up is Labor Day and it is easy for me to say again it’s the official end of summer. This week we here at The Irish Examiner USA are featuring two of the great Irish labor leaders in the USA namely Mike Quill from County Kerry and Mary Harris Jones (Mother Jones) from County Cork. It is our privilege to feature them and I am sure my editor would have liked to feature a lot lore of them if he had the room. Here I am also featuring a man I got to meet on a few occasions and I’m proud to say so as well.
Check out this event and hopefully you can participate in: The Martin McGuinness Chieftain’s Walk NYC in Aid of The Martin McGuinness Peace Foundation takes place on Sunday, September 19th. The walk will start at the Irish Hunger Memorial and will travel North up the Westside Greenway along the Hudson River to west 14th Street and back again to the Memorial. Check-in and registration begins at 10 am with opening remarks by Senator Chuck Schumer with the march commencing at 11 am. Irish singer Cathy Maguire will perform and there will be light refreshments to follow. You can get more information at facebook.com/ChieftainsWalkNYC.
The New York Tenors, Andy Cooney, Christopher Macchio and Daniel Rodriguez pay a video tribute to the troops and to first responders. The Irish Examiner USA is very proud to have a link to their video on our website to thank them for honoring all these great women and men who have put their lives on the line to keep us all safe, we say thank you as well and ask you to watch the video on our website at www.irishexaminerusa.com.
The late Larry McEvoy who died on Saturday was well known in the Irish community and a fixture at nearly every Irish event especially around Saint Patrick’s Day and a great friend of The Irish Examiner USA. May he rest in peace.
We got some great news from the Irish Repertory Theatre who have announced productions for their upcoming fall season, which will mark their return to in-person programming following the Covid-19 shutdown in March 2020. Autumn Royal by Kevin Barry, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly, will run from October 8th to November 21st, on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage; followed by The Streets of New York by Dion Boucicault, featuring adaptation, songs and direction by Charlotte Moore, arriving just in time for the holidays from December 4th to January 30th, 2022. Reopening the W. Scott McLucas Studio Stage will be A Girl is A Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride, adapted by Annie Ryan and directed by Nicola Murphy, running from November 10the to December 12th. The Irish Rep will also present a special audio event, Bikeman by Thomas F. Flynn, directed by Joseph Discher, available online from September 11th to the 18th.
As guidelines continue to change, Irish Rep will constantly monitor the rules and regulations put forth by the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and New York City’s “Restart NYC” guidance for businesses as well as the new Key to NYC program instituted on August 3. As a result of these requirements, and in order to ensure the safety of all staff and company members, only individuals who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be allowed to enter Irish Repertory Theatre. Unfortunately, this does not include any attendees under the age of 12, and any other individuals who have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at that time. Guests may present proof of vaccination via their CDC Vaccination card (on paper or a photo), the NYC Covid Safe app, Excelsior Pass (those vaccinated in New York State), the Docket App (New Jersey residents), or their NYC Vaccination Record. Additional information on the vaccination requirement and increased safety protocols can be found at irishrep.org/explore/reopening-roadmap. All guests must wear a properly fitting mask over their nose and mouth at all times in the theatre, even while seated. Masks must not have vents or exhalation valves and gaiters, scarves, and bandanas are not considered acceptable face coverings. Guests ages 18 and older must present a valid government-issued photo ID. Guests under 18 may also show a school photo ID.
The show must go on so I have to hand it to all the staff at The Irish Repertory Theatre and to Charlotte Moore and Ciaran O’Reilly well done and what a great way to finish out 2021 by coming home; lots of success to you all.
Hope to see you all again when I am Out&About…