By Paddy McCarthy
To all our Out&About readers it has been a very hot summer for the last couple of weeks and I must say it was needed. Now you can head out to the beaches with your bucket and shovels to make sand castles; that’s what I used to love when all the family headed down to Youghal, County Cork by train in the summer months, oh happy days.
Now for my Out&About trip this week I went up to Stamford, Connecticut that is a beautiful city I might tell yea. My daughter Christina and her husband Kevin Coyne live up there as it is only about 45 minutes down to New York City by Metro North train.
I am so excited to be honored as the Bard of the Great Irish Fair, for the 44th Great Irish Fair of New York on Saturday, September 13 at Holy Name of Jesus Parish (245 Prospect Park West in Brooklyn). I am going to give you a little history on the great fair that all started 44 years ago.
In 1981 the first Great Irish Fair was held underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. The streets were lined with vendors as Irish music filled the air. The first Fair was successful and work on the second Great Irish Fair was started. In 1983 under the guidance of Chairman Al O’Hagan the Great Irish Fair found a new home for its third installment.
With the help of Mayor Ed Koch, O’Hagan moved the venue to South Brooklyn in Coney Island underneath the iconic Parachute Jump. The Great Irish Fair is credited with revitalizing Coney Island.
The Great Irish Fair now has a permanent home, still in Coney Island at the Ford Amphitheater. The 44th Annual Great Irish Fair is set to take place on September 13th and will feature family, community, and some of the best Irish music from around the world and guess what, again I have been selected to be the Bard of the Festival. I can tell you that I am I nervously getting prepared as it is a great privilege for this honor for me and my family.
I would like all my Out&About readers and friends to attend this great Irish Festival and yes, I will welcome you all and to thank you for attending and to hope that you have a great Irish time, now where would yea get it, only at The Great Irish Fair on September 13th. I hope you can come along and meet old and new friends. It’s going to be a blast, and it’s gonna be great day. You’ll have a lot of fun and plenty of good Irish music and Irish dancing with lots of good Irish food, ah where would yea get it, only at The Great Irish Fair in Brooklyn and me ha-ha.
Now to give a special announcement that I am sure will be very well supported as well and that is, that the Martin McGuinness Peace Foundation Raceroster is live and their website has been updated. The date for this year’s walk is September 13! Registration and check in will be from 9:30 to 10:30 am, and they will begin their procession up the Hudson River at 10:30 am. You can get more information on the the MMPF website at martinmcguinnesspf.org.
I hope to see you all next week when I am Out&About again…