By Paddy McCarthy
I am sure we all respect and send our condolences on the passing of Queen Elizabeth last Thursday in Balmoral, Scotland who has been mourned all over the world. Here is a picture from when she visited Ireland in 2011 and one of her stops was the famous English Market in the center of Cork City. In this picture she stopped at my cousin Pat O’Connell’s fish stall. When she arrived at the stall, named after his grandmother K. O’CONNELL Fishmongers, they chatted amicably about the stall’s history, the family business and where the fish came from.
Pat O’Connell described Queen Elizabeth as a wonderful woman who was totally different to what he had expected. “She left her mark on this city of Cork, I think, this city left its mark on the Queen,” he said of the visit. When she left the market there were thousands of people outside on the street called Grand Parade to greet her and she left her security and went over and shook hands with lots of them. There was a warm greeting for the Queen in Cork RIP.
On a subsequent visit to Belfast in 2012, Queen Elizabeth also shook hands with Martin McGuinness in Belfast when he was Deputy First Minister, now that was so nice to see.
Last week I did mention that summer was not over quite yet and I was right, it is not. Believe it or not on Saturday I was sitting at Cedar Beach that is on the North Shore of Long Island and it was fabulous. The Tiki Bar was also open with nice cold drinks and the water was again just fabulous as I tested it, so I hope you all did the same. I was also told that the Rockaways was packed on Saturday as well, so now did I call it right? Of course I did. The surfing could not be better with many riding the waves with their surfboards, ah, I would have loved to be there.
We’ve still got another couple of weeks to go and the long-range weather forecast looks very good, so go out and enjoy it, because I will anyway before it changes and the evenings get a bit darker, then I will have to put away my bucket and shovel, ha, ha.
Here is an artist that you will be hearing a lot about, the brilliant comedian Katie Boyle, because we need a lot of laughs and she will be the one to do it let me tell yea. She is an Irish comedian that I am proud to tell you about in my Out&About as she is hilarious! My advice is to go and see her.
Katie Boyle is an Irish comedian and host of The Shift podcast. She’s been featured in festivals all over America including Laughing Skull Atlanta, The Women in Comedy Festival, Asheville, Cape Fear, Kansas City Irish Fest and the New York City Festival and has toured with the Real Irish Comedy Tour. She has been heard on Sirius Xm and performs in comedy clubs daily all over NYC and is a regular at New York Comedy Club where she is taping her upcoming special “I’ll do it myself.”
Katie will be taping her debut comedy special and recording her album at New York Comedy Club on East 24th Street on September 18. “I’ll do it myself” is titled after every Irish parent because they constantly say that and Katie has decided to have no host or opener and do the whole night herself! It will start off with audience participation and crowd work then an hour of stand-up comedy! Tickets are $25 each and can be ordered at newyorkcomedyclub.com.
I just got news that the great Andy Cooney’s podcast is still steamrolling along and is now on episode 41 and listeners have grown by the thousands wow!, This week he has an interview with one of the greatest country singers from Ireland; the one and only Daniel O’Donnell so you have got to tune in and also listen to Daniel sing some of his hit tunes only on the Andy Cooney New York Irish Hour Podcast. Not only does Andy have Daniel on, you can also hear Philomena Begley, Erin’s Pride, Deirdre Masterson and lots more and of course the man himself Andy Cooney, so tune in now.
Andy has also reminded me about his shows that are ongoing at Gavin’s Irish Country Inn where he will be playing some remaining dates that I am sure you all will be to hear. There are shows this Thursday September 15th and Friday the 16th and also new October that have been added on the 25th, 26th and 27th.
Gavins are offering lots of goodies when you arrive that I am sure you will also be very happy about as well as having Andy Cooney performing as well. For booking at Gavin’s Irish Country Inn in East Durham call (518) 634-2582 so hurry and don’t be disappointed.
Did you get a taste of the Smuggling Nun Irish Poitin, distilled in County Down, Ireland yet? Ah you have to try it as it warms your heart and it’s nice when you mix it as well with your favorite juice. It will be available all over the USA very soon so be ready.
Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About again…