By Paddy McCarthy
The Irish Examiner staff and affiliates are remembering all those men and woman who gave their lives for freedom on this Memorial Day weekend and we would like to say that we are so proud of you all of veterans. This message was ready for last week only I missed the schedule so please forgive me as it is very important that I have it in now, thank you all again!
The Irish Open Golf was held this weekend down at the magnificent Seaview Marriott Resort in Galloway, New Jersey with over 130 golfers from the Metropolitan area. Played over two days on both the Pines and Bayview courses, David Finn came out on top with a score of -6. The Senior Open was won for the second year running by Michael Reidy. All in all, a thrilling weekend was had by all and huge thanks must go to Kerryman John Foley for his continued contribution. I have to admit John Foley is one of the best and deserves credit for a lot more that he has done for the Irish community and the same goes for another man, Donie Carroll who is also is a great supporter of the Irish arts and one of the top folk singers ever to come out of Ireland. I had my clubs ready, but I never got the call. I wonder why? It must be my handicap?
The Andy Cooney Irish Cruise is filling up fast so don’t miss out. The ‘Free Gratuities’ special has been extended to Monday June 3rd. It will save you $95 per person. So, book now and save! Call (800) 724-9511 to book your place. You have till October 16 to get 100% of your money back should something come up and you can’t join them, so what are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and call to reserve?
For all the historians out there here is the real scoop on Memorial Day: “Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering and honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. However, Memorial Day was observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.”
Now here is what is happening in Yonkers: the Charles N Bajart, Jr. American Legion Post 1122 is holding the City of Yonkers Yonkers Memorial Day Parade on McLean Ave in honor of those who sacrificed their life for our country on Thursday May 30. For more details see the ad on the page opposite.
On Sat June 1st, Joe Hurley will bring the All-Star Irish Rock Revue and its cavalcade of stars to The 7th Annual Rockaway Irish Fest this Saturday (June 1), marking The Revue’s first Fest appearance since their performance, outdoors at Lincoln Center, televised by PBS to a global audience.
The London-bred Irish New Yorker has strong blood ties to the Rockaways, and is thrilled with the area’s resurgence. The day after Sandy hit, Hurley, like so many others, felt compelled to come out and help, bringing teams of volunteers and vans of supplies to St Francis.. He was back and forth to the decimated area for months, while producing fundraising concerts in New York City – the first, held on his Birthday, ‘A Dickens Xmas for The Rockaways’ benefitted Rockaway’s Graybeards.
The Revue will be bringing a boatload of top artists with them, and the hotbed of musical talent ‘Rockaway Royalty’ will be joining in. Music kicks off with Wine with Sue at 1pm and Shilelagh Law NY at 3pm. The All-Star Revue begins at 5.30pm sharp.
The All-Star Irish Rock Revue features a mad parade of extraordinary singers as dozens of guest stars dive into the ‘Great Irish Songbook’ performing the timeless classics of Thin Lizzy, U2, The Pogues, Van Morrison, The Undertones, SLF, Morrissey, John Lydon, Boomtown Rats, Rory Gallagher, Dubliners, qnd Sinead O’Connor together with Trad beauties & Rebel Songs.
Legendary Irish author/singer Malachy McCourt will also perform in his first show in Rockaways in decades?
Joe has asked me so many times to come along and be a guest and each time I had other commitments so this weekend I am going to try my very best to make it there and I hope to see you all there as well.
Just a reminder again, it’s being held on Saturday June 1 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on the beach at 100th Street in Rockaway. Tickets are just $10, with kids getting in for free!
It was great to meet with Kathy Fahy, Michael Hannon and Padraig McCaul who are staging one of the intriguing concerts that has ever been seen on this side of the Atlantic here in New York City. Called “Fainne Oir” I am only giving you a snippet of it as to what the storyline is.
Fainne Oir depicts the story of an Irish family during the Famine Years of 1845-1848 as parents and children, friends and neighbors, work in community together to live off the land.
Parents Sean and Maire O’Malley and their five daughters, Saoirse, Mary, Ann, Norah and Brid, rise each day to toil in the fields in order to survive off the life-giving potato crop. Also at play is a story of young love, between Saoirse, the oldest daughter and farm hand, Diarmuid, who stays working late into the evenings just so the two can be near to each other for as long as possible.
The story starts in rural County Mayo and promises to be a smash hit. Mike Hannon joined Kathy in co-producing the premiere. Mike engages in outreach to the US and most recently managed the establishment of the County Mayo Foundation, a US registered not for profit established to assist Mayo based charities and organizations looking for support from the diaspora.
We will have more news next week as we have interviewed all the co-producers of the show and the announcement of the show in Symphony Space in September will keep you informed.
See you all again next week when I am Out&About again.