By Paddy McCarthy
I am ready for the Easter holidays, are you? It’s one time of the year that I really enjoy with family and friends. Now I know what you’re saying, Lent is over so he’s off to the pub! No, it is not that. it’s just a great time to celebrate that we made it this far and that spring is here after not a bad winter.
Now, getting back to the pub, it is one of the best times in Ireland especially on an Easter Sunday morning after Mass to have a pint before the Easter dinner, now how could you deny that? Oh, how I miss it so much.
The good news is I am going over there in a few weeks time for a few days to see family and friends. I might as well be honest as well as I am sure I will have a few pints to celebrate my home coming ha, ha.
It is all happening again for Origin Theatre Company and of course the hard working George Heslin, the Company’s artistic director. From May 2 to 30 at venues across New York City, Origin Theatre Company – in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to the United States – is presenting European Month of Culture NYC. This citywide sister-festival takes place throughout May 2019.
It recognizes the best that Europe has to offer and is presented in partnership with numerous institutions, consulates and arts organizations.
This series includes European performances, literary events, lectures, films, master classes, new play readings and more.
This year’s theme is: “Exploring & Celebrating European Union Identities.” All Origin-produced events in NYC are free.
The Festival’s VIP Launch is on Thursday May 2, with a welcoming ceremony and reception at 6pm hosted by Origin Theatre Company and the Delegation of the European Union to the United States at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus.
At the event key Month of Culture participants will detail festival highlights to gathered participants and the media. The Empire State Building will be lit in the European Union colors on Thursday May 9.
Artists and companies from close to two dozen European countries will gather in New York for the festival. A dynamic schedule featuring performances, screenings, readings of new plays, concerts, art exhibits, panels and roundtable discussions, master classes and parties – many of them free events – will be held at venues across the city.
A sister festival of “European Month of Culture” (which has taken place every May in Washington DC since 2013), “European Month of Culture NYC” emphasizes encounters and collaborations between visiting artists and the sizable diaspora audience and artist communities living and working in New York.
Numerous European consulates, and New York-based groups, companies and individuals are participating to sponsor and host some 60 individual events showcasing consequential new voices, new works and new ideas emanating from Europe.
For ticket information and schedules visit www.origintheatre.org.
Talking about theatre, the Irish Rep is pounding out one great show after another now where would yea get it. You have the O’Casey Cycle featuring productions of Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Paycock and Plough and the Stars.
These shows are produced and directed by two legends, Charlotte Moore and Ciaran O’Reilly who have built a theatre for everyone that is just beautiful. I could go on and on because I admire them so much and I know how hard they worked to make this work so that is why I go on and on yippee!
I was around Manhattan and I got to meet some very prominent bar and restaurant owners as I was out and about. First there is the great Des O’Brien of Langan’s fame who lost their lease after almost 25 years in business because of the landlord’s greed with the rent, but knowing Des he picked himself up and drove on with some very successful establishments with his partners Pat Burke and John Mahon and opening a some now well-known establishments including Broadstone, Pig & Whistle, Toro Loco and O’Brien’s Irish Pub, all in Manhattan.
Then I bumped into Eamonn Maher from P.J Moran’s and Foxy John’s which are also very fine establishments I might tell yea.
Now I could not leave out the man himself, Garret Doyle of Tuttle’s Bar and Restaurant that has a beautiful garden with flowers that makes it again one of the most unique Irish hangouts in New York and a great place to have a party with your friends or a company get together. Ah, I love this going Out&About.
Before I forget, Garret will be opening the Legendary Furlongs (2478-Route 145) in East Durham, a place that is known as the Irish Reverie this Summer and all are invited.
I am told you will have the very best of entertainment seven days a week with international and local talent for your enjoyment.
The restaurant will be open each day from early to late serving lunch, dinner and brunch and all your favorite cocktails. Now where would yea get?
I am also told you can view all your favorite games including GAA, soccer and the NFL and there will be lots more for your enjoyment.
I am going to say this again, you can’t keep the Irish from doing what they do best; work hard and it will all come to you, ah I love it.
As you can see I am after coming out of my shell as I have got so many requests to have my name on this column as I am the Out&About man himself, see you all again next week when I am Out&About again.