By Paddy McCarthy
I was a guest on Thursday for the Ireland-US Council Dinner at The Metropolitan Club (60th Street off Fifth Avenue). I got to meet a lot of the guests and friends that I knew quite well and had not seen in a while, including Kevin Fagan and Siobhan Mullen, Paul O’Hara, Senior VP of Marketing at Mutual of America, Michael Casey, Design Director at ARGO, William Murphy, President of Douglas Management and Realty, Patrick McGowan from McGowan Builders, David O’Sullivan, Executive Director of the Ireland-US Council, Greg Harrington and Caroline Regan.
Eddie Dowling, the owner of Padded Wagon invited me to attend with a guest as Eddie himself could not make it.
I am so sorry I could not make the Mick Maloney Memorial Concert Fundraiser last Saturday at the New York Irish Center presented by the very talented Donie Carroll. This was to honor Mick Moloney for the great work he had been doing in the slums of Bangkok, Thailand. Mick was involved for over 20 years in the Mercy Center that takes care of hundreds of abused and abandoned kids.
I also have to tell you that along with Mick, the great traditional folk singer Donie Carroll was also there with him to help out with all those under privileged kids in Bangkok, that was a long way to travel and they did it every year with no hesitation.
Donie is a musician, singer, actor, businessman, philanthropist and golfer, He is famous on both sides of the Atlantic. He began his musical career in Cork City with a very successful band Finnegan’s Wake back in the 80s.
I am told that the concert was very successful. The cream of Irish traditional musicians and dancers were lined up for this event, including former Riverdance Uileann piper Ivan Goff, Tony Demarco, Liz Hanley, Nuala Kennedy, Don Meade, Dan Neeley, Don Penzien, Heather Bixler, and Donie Carroll himself.
Mick Moloney passed away suddenly in July 2022 and on this occasion, they also celebrated his 80th birthday on stage.
Moving on I got this letter from a great friend of The Irish Examiner USA that I just have to include in my Out&About that I hope you might review as I have.
The letter is from Monsignor Kevin Sullivan of the Catholic Charities of New York and as I said he supports The Irish Examiner USA regularly no matter where he is: “Sunday, November 17, 2024, was the World Day of the Poor, a day established by Pope Francis in 2017 to reflect on the issue of poverty.
“Yesterday I joined Cardinal Dolan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a special Mass to observe this day; we also blessed Thanksgiving food that will be delivered by Catholic Charities of New York to the most vulnerable people throughout New York.
“As we begin to celebrate this time of plenty, we must not forget our brothers and sisters who do not share in that same abundance; in fact, more than 1.5 million New Yorkers are currently experiencing food insecurity.
“Thanks to loving supporters like you though, we are helping our neighbors who are struggling with food insecurity.
“During this Thanksgiving season, Catholic Charities of New York will distribute over 11,000 turkeys and 12,000 hot meals. Our food trucks will distribute food to over 40 different food sites throughout New York, making sure that our neighbors in need have a nutritious meal.
“But this doesn’t only happen on Thanksgiving. It happens every day of the year. Food is only one part of what we do, but it’s how our work comes together to create a supportive community.
“I want to thank you for making it possible for us to provide help and create hope for New Yorkers in need — on World Day of the Poor, Thanksgiving, and every day of the year. We are blessed to have you as a part of our caring community.”
See you all again next week when we will be celebrating Thanksgiving as I’m Out&About again…