By Paddy McCarthy
I hope you all had a nice Saint Valentine’s Day, and I hope you all got your cards, flowers, champagne and probably a nice dinner? Oh how romantic, those were the days, ha ha! I am just kidding as it is a wonderful day as it brings out the best in all of us, a very happy day as well.
Here is a man that I personally know very well and what a proud Irishman he is too. His name is Brian McCabe, retired Sergeant at Detective Bureau, Manhattan South Homicide Squad, whose service started in July 1983. I love telling you about real true stories about heroes right here in front of our noses. Now here is one man that deserves all the attention we can give him as he was and is the back bone of saving the American Irish Historical Society’s building and that, of course, is Brian McCabe. John Lee from John Lee Media gave me this article about Brian for my column this week that I am going to share with you: “He’s the quintessential New York Irish cop who rose up through the ranks from walking a beat to becoming a highly-ranked detective. He’s also a respected leader of New York’s Irish American community and a man at the center of a major controversy playing out now in New York as the American Irish Historical Society’s irreplaceable Beaux-Arts townhouse home on Fifth Avenue in New York City was put up for sale.
“Brian always seems to be in the middle of it all, from his roots amidst a big Irish family, as a cop keeping the peace as a detective during some grim times in New York, in the middle of important peace-building efforts in Northern Ireland, and now in the middle of efforts to save the AIHS. Brian came into the AIHS as Chairman of the Executive Council, hoping to air out the old building, welcome Irish arts and culture, and return the 125-year-old organization to relevance. And the work was well underway when his situation there became untenable.
“The situation soon became vastly more dire as the AIHS announced its plans to sell its landmark building and move its collection to who knows where. Join John as Brian talks of his Irish American childhood, his adventures scurrying across rooftops in pursuit of ‘perps,’ how he got to know the people in the neighborhoods he served, and the effort to save the AIHS, and the breakthrough when New York attorney general Leticia James blocked the building’s sale. All that and a bit of ‘paddywackery’ too.”
Now wasn’t this well worth telling you. I wanted just to highlight Brian for all he does for the Irish community and to say thank you Brian.
This Saturday, Irish Arts Center will once again host the annual St. Pat’s for All Benefit Event supporting the inclusive St. Pat’s for All Parade, with performances and presentations in their ground floor Devlin Café. Founded by Ireland’s 2016 Presidential Distinguished Award recipients Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy and Brendan Fay, the parade and benefit celebrate the openness and diversity of the Irish and Irish American communities of New York.
This came to me from Colleen Fay (no relation to Brendan) who wanted to let you all know about the White Plains Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. She said: “I hope everyone is looking forward to the parade on Saturday 11 March 11, stepping off at 12 noon. Things are gearing up and we are putting together our participants. We have a new website this year which I think you will find very helpful and more user friendly. For instance, you can now submit your participation form online. The website is http://www.wpsaintpatricksdayparade.com. It is continuing to be updated and will contain more information on logistics of the day. If you have not already done so, please fill out your participation form and submit it online.” You are doing a great job Colleen, keep up the good work.
I have a message for all the Dubliners out there that came to me from another real Dub yes, the one and only Shane Humphries, who again does a lot for the Irish community that might go unnoticed, but not with me believe me as he is a man with many hats. So here we go: “Maidin Maith Go Leir,thank you to those who got back to me re carrying the flags and banner in the parade. I’ll be in touch with details and assignments later. I am also hoping to get 12 tickets to the 8 am mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on the day itself. This mass is a ticket only event. Let me know if you would like to attend.
“Finally, mile maith aguive to all who have paid their dues and a friendly reminder to the rest. We have to pay to march in the parade and stay affiliated with the United Irish Counties. These affiliations allow members kids and grandkids, nephews and nieces to compete for over a dozen scholarships. They also get us the mass tickets for St Patrick’s Day.
“We also sponsor a prize at The UIC feis in memory of deceased members of the Dublin Society, and dues help subsidize our social events, including tickets to the UIC annual dinner and the parade grand marshal installation luncheon $30 a head payable by check to The Dublin Society , 180 East 79 Street, New York, NY 10075 or by Vemno at www.venmo.com/DublinSocietyofNY.”
I think my job doing the Out&About just got easier, what do you think? Now here is a place just down the road from Dublin in Ireland that is having their annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner at Antun’s (96-43 Springfield Blvd. in Queens Village) on Saturday March 4th starting at 6.30 pm and that is the Cork Association, yes, I will be there.
Also don’t forget that The Installation Reception honoring The Aides to the Grand Marshal of The 262nd NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Grand Marshal Kevin J. Conway is coming up at Antun’s on Sunday February 26th at 3 pm, so don’t miss it!
I hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About again.