Out&About

By Paddy McCarthy

I am sure that everybody really enjoyed the Times Square New Year’s Ball drop that was seen by millions of people around the world. The attendance in Times Square was well over a million and the weather was just perfect to ring the New Year. The man from Fiskars Group — the owners of Waterford Crystal — Tom Brennan was with the crystal that was ready to be placed on the Ball. Now I hope you all made your New Year resolutions from dieting to everything else and I am sure you will all stick to them, aha. Look we all do it and hope to succeed and it does for a few weeks.

It has been a tough couple of years for almost everyone that I know, with Covid, that I hope is under control and now with rocketing prices on nearly everything from groceries, travel, house goods and lots more, and of course gas that costs way above what we expected, though that is coming down T.G.

It has been a sad year for me as I did lose a few friends in 2022, mostly from the music business that I was part of who passed away from one sickness or another, RIP.

Am I looking forward to 2023? You bet I am as The Irish Examiner USA is already going leaps and jumps ahead of what we planned. We hired a journalist from Ireland to cover every county from the north to the south of Ireland and cover travel here in America as well, as you know that there are over 44 million Irish and Irish Americans here in the US that want to read about their places of birth and where their ancestors came from.

Tourism Ireland here in New York are one of the best outlets for anything travel related as they are the experts in tourism to Ireland. I love my trips to Ireland and now that Shannon Airport is up and running again full time, with added connection for transport from there it’s now got much easier to travel around Ireland. Not to forget Cork Airport, Dublin Airport or Knock Airport in County Mayo and it’s going to be busy busy time for all of them
Almost every county in Ireland will be having a music festival that will suit all tastes in music and I for one will be at a few of them. I know you miss my gossip when I am Out&About, but don’t worry I will have plenty of it coming your way when I visit a few Irish establishments for a bit of news, now where would yea get it only in my Out&About.

This letter came to me from Peter F.Whalen, President of the Grand Council of Emerald Societies Inc. to tell us this great news. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on December 20, 2022, a plan to revitalize the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS), preserve the organization’s historic townhouse headquarters in New York City, and end one family’s control of the AIHS. As part of that plan, a new interim Executive Director and interim Board of Directors were appointed to guide AIHS through six months of transition. The Consulate General of Ireland in New York has agreed to help support the interim board during the initial transition to acceptable new governance. Peter and the GUES thanked Attorney General James and her office for their hard work in providing relief to the American Irish community and their continued investigation and oversight of the transition.

Former AIHS Chairman Brian McCabe (NYPD Emerald) led the campaign to reform and renew the AIHS and brought the matter of governance, fiscal responsibility, and the integrity of the priceless collection to the attention of the Attorney General (AG) along with former President General James Normile. Brian, with former AIHS staffer Sophie Colgan, further mobilized the American Irish community in this effort and provided the AG with an online petition supporting reform signed by more than 40,000 individuals, which helped prompt the AG to favorably resolve the threat to the Society.

Peter said: “The Grand Council looks forward to working with the new leadership of the American Irish Historical Society and using the venue for our events.”

This also came to my attention that I am privileged to pass on to you from Beck Lee at the New York Irish Center: “As it said that on this first day of the new year, we know we are sustained by those very special people whom we lost last year. On behalf of the NY Irish Center, I am sharing this commemoration of the notables from the Irish-American community who passed away in 2022, with transcendent music performed by the late Mick Moloney.

“With gratitude for all that you do to cover the arts and to connect our community to each other and, more broadly, to New York City.” This is the link to YouTube to listen to this beautiful video titled An Irish American Farewell: In Memoriam 2022.

The following is one of the major events that we all have to support as it is our heritage that will never ever be forgotten and it’s the time we show our pride so here we go. Support the world’s oldest and largest parade the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Make your 100% tax-deductible gift online today at www.nycstpatricksparade.org/donate.

“For 261 years, the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade has brought generations of families together. And thanks to the generous support of people like you, we have been able to continue what started on the streets of lower Manhattan in 1762.

“We have met the challenge every year — never breaking the 261-year tradition of marching along 5th Avenue on March 17th.

“With your support, the spirit of our ancestors and the memory of those we lost will continue to live in New York City. We can’t do it alone! Please make a donation today using our safe and secure donation processing and help the world’s oldest and largest parade continue. We are a registered non-profit organization, so 100% of your donation is tax-deductible! Again, thank you for your generosity …and we wish you and your family a healthy and happy New Year!”

Now that I’ve done my part you must do yours so again just click and make that donation.

This came to me from The Dublin Society (an affiliated member of The United Irish Counties Association). The annual dinner of the UIC will be held on Sunday January 29th at Antun’s in Queens Village. 

I hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About again.