By Paddy McCarthy
I was hoping to begin my Out&About column on a brighter note but I just can’t with the sad news I received this week that I have to talk about. First, I have to tell you about a very good Irishman who was a very good friend of mine and many more who crossed his path. Andrew Healy passed away on Saturday January 1st. He battled a long illness but stayed positive up to the last minute. The Friendly Sons of St Patrick Long Island said: “It is with deep sympathy we regret to inform you of the passing of our former President and Friendly Son Andrew Healey, RIP,. who passed away after his long and courageous battle. Andrew was also a member of the Rockville Center Fire Department Floodlight Co #1 Emergency Rescue [where he] served as a Firefighter and EMT.”
I personally would like to send my condolences to his family, RIP.
I am going to follow up with another sad piece that came to me from The United Irish Counties Association of New York who sent me this sad news on Tommy MacBride, RIP: “Heartfelt condolences are extended to Maura, Tommy and the MacBride Family and extended family on the passing of their beloved father, grandfather, brother and uncle, Tommy, on Friday 7 January, peacefully in hospital with his children at his bedside. A proud Donegal man, a native of Mountcharles, Tommy was a past president of the Donegal Association of New York. He was a teacher in Ireland, England and New York, and a member of the American Irish Teachers Association. Many a St. Patrick’s Day, Tommy would march with his native Donegal and return to the start of the parade for a second trip up the Avenue with the AITA. Tommy retired to Maynooth, Co. Kildare, but racked up many frequent flyers traveling back and forth to New York on a regular basis until the onset of the pandemic delayed his routine return to Ireland after visiting New York for Christmas 2019. Tommy passed away peacefully in New York on the January 7th in the company of his loving daughter Maura and son Tommy Jr.”
Myself and the staff of The Irish Examiner USA send our condolence to the MacBride family.
Just to cheer you all up a little bit with some good news to end with I’m happy to report that tickets are now available for The Irish Rep’s New ’22 Season in-person productions, A Touch of the Poet directed by Ciarán O’Reilly, and the world premiere of Ciara Ní Chuirc’s Made by God!
Don’t miss Jenn Murray in A Girl is a Half-formed Thing on-demand on their Theatre @ Home platform; and don’t miss their January one-night-only concerts: Transatlantic Living and Love Songs for the Hopeless Romantic – now on -sale! Plus – there’s still time to catch The New York Times Critic’s Pick The Streets of New York, which runs through January 30!
As the new year begins, The Irish Rep will also present two in-person productions – the return of Eugene O’Neill’s A Touch of the Poet to their mainstage and the world premiere of Ciara Ní Chuirc’s Made By God in the W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre. In January, they will have two one-night only events to brighten these January evenings – Irish Rep Company Member Clare O’Malley brings Transatlantic Living to their Mainstage on January 18, and world-class violinist Gregory Harrington lights up their mainstage on January 25 with his new concert, Love Songs for the Hopeless Romantic.
The New York Times Critic’s Pick and sold-out show, A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, starring Jenn Murray, will also now be available to stream on-demand from January 14 to 30, as a part of the Origin 1st Irish Festival. Tickets are now available for our upcoming shows to members only, so be sure to book your tickets to get the best seats. Public on-sale tickets for A Touch of the Poet and Made by God are now available at irishrep.org or by calling their Box Office on (212) 727-2737.
Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About, so please be safe and healthy…