By Paddy McCarthy
I have to admit the July 4th weather this weekend, as they would say in Ireland, was fair to Middleton. The only wet day was Saturday when it came down in buckets and if you got caught out in it like I did with the family you didn’t need a shower after that believe me.
I have just been told that the Paradise Square show on Broadway is still packing them in so don’t miss as we have to keep Larry Kirwan happy, and why not as he deserves it.
Talking about shows, The Irish Repertory Theatre has another big hit with YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom featuring Aedin Moloney. This actor is a super star and you cannot miss this performance before it ends so look there are a handful of tickets left for this beautiful production.
Aedin has said that “The Theatre have given me their ‘family and friends’ ticket price
, $32; the code YES2022MB can be used for any performance through July 17th. It’s a gorgeous new production…I’m very proud of it, and the beautiful work by an incredibly talented group of creatives. Thank you to The Irish Repertory Theatre for bringing new work to life.” For more information visit irishrep.org.
Here is a celebration of the life of Paddy Noonan. Noonan, for years one of the most popular figures on the Irish American entertainment scene has died after a long illness aged 83. This event will be on this Saturday, July 9th, 2022 from 2 pm to 6 pm at the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens, Inc. (297 Willis Avenue in Mineola). Please join us as we gather to celebrate and remember the remarkable life of world renowned Irish accordionist, Paddy Noonan. Paddy was a Mallow, County Cork native and longtime New York city resident who made his name in the Irish music scene in the early 1950’s, when at 16 years of age, he began playing at New York’s City Center Ballroom. He quickly became a major draw, filling the dance hall with 2000 Irish emigrants on any given Saturday night. Paddy’s reputation was that of a true gentleman, a kind and gentle soul who found joy in connecting people to their roots and to each other and his kindness and generosity made him beloved by anyone who knew him. His legacy will live on in the many lives of those he touched with his friendship and music. Please join us to celebrate a life wonderfully lived. Admission is free, donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Michael J Fox Parkinson’s Research Foundation are greatly appreciated. I will be there and I hope to see you all there as it will be spectacular.
There’s another big event coming in October, I know what you’re saying is that’s a long time away, but no, it’s not, as time flies. Here it is, the Long Island Irish Festival’s Second Annual Event as the first one was a house full show. The line-up will be the cream of good Irish talent that will knock your socks off so here we go: Shilelagh Law, The Druids, Andy Cooney, Harper’s Ferry, and Bangers and Mashed.
Tickets will go on sale in September for the event at Plattduetsche Park in Franklin Square, Long Island on October 16. Tickets will be $20 presale and $25 on the day. Children under 12 are admitted free of charge. Feeling excited? So, am I as I would not miss this event for the world?
Now I am going to tell also what I did when I was Out&About, I went to see the new Elvis movie. I am only going to tell you this once, go and see it as it is just brilliant. You might shed a tear or two by the time the movie is over as it is the best Elvis movie that I have ever seen and I have seen them all. Elvis Presley passed away at an early age of 42 in 1977 and today he is still an icon in the world of music, no matter what music you like he is still number one. The acting is superb with Austin Butler who plays Elvis Presley to perfection and Tom Hanks playing Colonel Tom Parker. From his rise to fame to his unprecedented superstardom, rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley maintains a complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, over the course of 20 years. Central to Presley’s journey and happiness… Butler, 30, portrays the roll rock and roll titan and sings some of the star’s original early works in the production.
As I said Austin Butler’s acting is perfect and he is really playing the part and sang Elvis’s early songs to a level of perfection that would have made Elvis proud himself. “All the ’50s stuff, that’s me,” Butler said. “After that, it’s a mix of me and Elvis… On ‘Suspicious Minds’ in particular, I can’t tell when my voice ends and his begins that came from the actor himself.”
Please go and see this movie. I am telling you that you won’t be disappointed as it really shows who Elvis was from start to finish and he will always be my man a legend.
Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About.