By Paddy McCarthy
I want to begin my Out&About by telling you about all the walking around that I do when I am out and about. I just have to tell you is that the best way to stay healthy is by walking and what I mean by that, it can be anywhere you like. If you are thinking of taking it up then it is a great way to stay fresh and healthy. When you start walking as I said it can be anywhere, swing your arms and stay relaxed when walking and do not rush it, just go at your own pace. Why am I telling you all this as that this is what I do all the time when I am Out&About and I always feel great after a nice walk that my body just feels much better than if I didn’t start walking. That is my tip for the day.
After all that, I went to visit to The Irish Exit Pub that is in the Moynihan Train Hall upstairs in Penn Station in New York City last week. It’s a great stop before you get your train and the service is excellent as the staff are very professional and make sure you don’t wait long for your drinks to be served. The one bartender that stood out was Stacie Espinosa, she knows how to serve a good pints and cocktails in a very much professional manner and is very friendly with all her customers. I do have to say that all the bartenders have exactly the same professional approach and and all showed the same quality as Stacie. The General Manager of The Irish Exit is David Moylan who keeps the place running so well. I can’t forget the Managing/partner who is always there to make sure that the standard stay high and that is Anthony O’Connor who again is a total professional.
I also attended the NYPD Emerald Society’s 71st Annual Dinner Dance last week at Leonard’s Palazzo in Great Neck, New York and got to meet quite a lot of people which was so nice. One particular man, retired from the NYPD that I had some time to talk to was very interesting. I am so glad that he sent me this note and a photo of his family as this is what my Out&About is all about. He said: “Paddy, there were many in the big room last night but of all I met I was particularly glad to run into a fellow Cork man from near my own Mourne Abbey. Thank you for taking the time to attend the gala. I joined the NYPD forty years ago in July of 1985 and it’s true the older you get, the faster it goes. The friendships made and crazy experiences lived through made it all worthwhile. Once again ‘Thank You’ for making the effort to attend and to ‘Represent’ as they say. My parents, Denis and Nora, came to New York City (Manhattan) from the very same patch of land as yourself and made a wonderful life for themselves here. I can see you did the very same, fair play to you. Paddy stay well, I hope to run into you again and you can tell me of the rock’n’roll characters you encountered downtown running a business. Corcaigh abu and regards. Slan, Sgt. Phil O’Shea (NYPD, Retired).” Thank you Phil it was so nice to have a chat with you also, here is a photo of Phil O’Shea and his very proud family., This is why I love being Out&About as I get to meet lots of people from all over that I really enjoy meeting and to have a little bit of gossip.
The East Durham St Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 16th, starting at 1 pm. East Durham, a Catskills town renowned for its deep Irish heritage, is set to host its Second Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade marching down Route 145. Revived in 2024 by local enthusiasts Michael O’Connor, Melanie Wesslock, and Seamus Balfe, the parade was an instant success, drawing thousands of spectators and injecting new life into the town’s rich cultural traditions. This year’s event promises to be even more memorable as Colleen McGrath Fenlon and Dermot Fenlon, owners of McGrath’s Edgewood Falls, are honored as Grand Marshals. Accompanying them as Aide to the Grand Marshals is Father Henry Reid, a lifelong friend of the McGrath family. Currently serving as pastor of three parishes in the Five Towns, Father Reid’s heart remains in East Durham, where he spent much of his youth and continues to visit regularly.
For the McGrath family, the honor comes at a particularly special time, as they celebrate over 50 years in business at McGrath’s Edgewood Falls. Founded by Colleen’s parents, Kathleen and Mattie McGrath, the establishment has long been a cornerstone of the community, welcoming visitors from near and far while preserving East Durham’s Irish traditions. Under Colleen and Dermot’s leadership, McGrath’s has continued to thrive, solidifying its place as a beloved landmark.
East Durham’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is more than just a celebration—it’s a testament to the town’s enduring Irish spirit and its role in Greene County’s tourism industry. With its lively cultural events, historic businesses, and deep-rooted traditions, East Durham remains a vibrant hub for Irish-American heritage.
“The parade is a tribute to our history and our future,” said Colleen McGrath Fenlon. “Sharing this moment with Dermot and the entire community is incredibly meaningful. East Durham has always been home, and we’re honored to be part of something that brings so many people together.”
As East Durham’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade continues to grow, so does its reputation as a destination where small-town charm meets big Irish pride. So, don your green, gather your family and friends, and come be part of a tradition that celebrates the heart and soul of East Durham! For more information, follow the East Durham Saint Patrick’s Parade on Facebook.
This Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will only get bigger and bigger as time goes on. East Durham is back again to being the Irish Rivera for all the family to come up and enjoy in the summer months. I have also attached some photos from last year’s St. Patrick’s Day East Durham Parade so that you won’t miss the 2025 parade.
The Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is excited to announce Keith Wood of Chester as the 2025 Grand Marshal. In Morris County’s Irish community, Keith Wood and the Great Highland Bagpipes go together like bangers and mash.
Wood began playing the traditional Celtic instrument when he was 12 years old. Nearly five decades later, bagpiping is his full-time occupation. He has performed in countless parades, ceremonies, competitions and other events, thrilling crowds in New Jersey and beyond.
The Chester resident has marched in Morris County’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade every year since it started in 1979.
But 2025 will be different. When the parade steps off at noon on March 15th, Wood will trade the Glengarry bonnet of a piper for a Grand Marshal’s top hat.
“Being named Grand Marshal is like receiving a lifetime achievement award,” he said. “At first, I didn’t feel like I had done enough. But then I thought about it. And I realized I’ve been involved in the Irish community here for almost 50 years.
“I appreciate everyone’s faith in me to serve the parade and represent our heritage,” he added.
When Wood leads the procession down South Street with his wife, Kerri-Lynn, family members will be piping and drumming in front of them. The Wood clan has developed a reputation as the first family of Morris County pipe bands, and is well respected throughout New Jersey.
“At the start, it was me on pipes, my brother Pat on the snare drum, and my dad. Once my brother and I were hooked, my other brothers Matthew and Paul joined. Then my sister Mary joined after college,” he said. “So it’s always been part of our DNA. We plan vacations, weddings — everything around band activities.”
Wood’s devotion to the bagpipes inspired him and his siblings to establish the Rory O’Moore School of Pipes and Drums in 1995. The band, which numbers about 65 members including students, is one of the largest pipe bands in the Northeast.
He estimates that roughly 200 players have learned their instruments during Rory O’Moore’s three decades, and he is proud that many of them have been women and families.
“We’ve always had a high percentage of women. If you look around at some of the other bands, you rarely see that,” he said. “We also have fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, mother and sons, mother and daughters. A lot of families are in the band.”
Piping is just one aspect of Wood’s engagement with the area’s Irish community.
He was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 1 – Netcong in the 1980s, which he served as recording secretary. He was president of the Irish American Association of Northwest Jersey from 2011 to 2014. And he is a member of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick of Morris County. In addition, he is a long-time parade volunteer, serving as band coordinator and trustee.
I hope to see you all again next week when I’m Out&About again…