I am going to start my column with a lot of sympathy and praise for a great friend and a great man – Eugene (Gene) McCarthy. When I came to New York back in 1982 I became a bartender here in New York that, believe me, taught me a lot and also introduced me to quite a few very nice people that I would never have a chance to meet otherwise.
One of them was Gene McCarthy and he was always a friend and a gentleman to me. We often had a bit of fun as we had the same name and I often called him my cousin because that was the respect I had for Gene McCarthy. In this world yes, you do meet someone you can look up to and Gene was one of them, so I would like to give my sincere sympathy to his wife Sheila and his family from all the staff of The Irish Examiner and myself as he was a true leader.
Chairman of the Knights of St. Patrick, Gene was the guiding light of the Knights of St. Patrick and acted as a true leader of the organization in guiding them in all matters concerning fund raising and the New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade.
“Our sympathy goes out Gene McCarthy’s family. We have lost a great leader! He was a man of integrity, a true gentleman. I’ve known Gene for many years and I must say, what a wonderful person he was. I will miss him greatly,” said Sean Lane, Chairman of the St Patrick’s Day Parade.
“Gene McCarthy was a true Irish American with his support of the church and all things Irish. He was proud of his Irish heritage and we are all blessed to have known him. I thank Gene for all he did over the years in support of the Parade, he will be sadly missed,” said Hilary Beirne Chairman, St Patrick’s Day Foundation.
Gene was born in Manhattan and grew up on Willis Ave. in the South Bronx where he lived until entering the United States Marine Corp. He attended St. Jerome’s parish on Alexander Ave and was educated at Cardinal Hayes High School. He was a lifelong Yankee fan and supporter of the New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade. He was a first-generation Irish American, whose parents hailed from Co. Kerry. He lived on the East Side of Manhattan with his wife, Sheila. They have two children, Deb and Jim, and three grandchildren.
The Big Day is coming and coming pretty fast I might tell yea and that is The Irish Rep’s Annual Gala that this year will honor President Bill Clinton for his role in the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. The award will be presented onstage by Emmy Award-winner Alec Baldwin. The show will also feature a full orchestra and chorus, a star-studded Broadway cast and a special appearance by Judy Collins.
Now I have been telling you about this now for a while now so if you have not got your tickets then now is the time because, believe me, it will be sold out again. The Gala takes place on Monday June 17 at Alice Tully Hall in the Lincoln Center. For information visit www.IrishRep.org or call (212) 727-2737.
Congratulations to all Liverpool fans on your great win. The game was a bit of a disappointment but otherwise Liverpool deserved it. From what I am told it was great for business and off hand Stout, Tuttles, Desmonds, Foxy John’s and, of course, Carragher’s were all packed; good on yea lads!
The 6th annual Bloomsday Breakfast (on Sunday June 16 from 11am to 2pm at Bloom’s Tavern at 208 East 58th Street), hosted by Origin Theatre Company and Bloom’s Tavern in Midtown, welcomes costumed guests, actors, musicians, and literary types of all ages in commemorating the Dublin summer morning chronicled in James Joyce’s landmark novel “Ulysses” on June 16, 1904. New York’s only site-specific Bloomsday breakfast features an all-inclusive three hour traditional Irish breakfast buffet with brunch cocktails, readings, musical interludes, a juried costume contest with $1,000 in voucher winnings, and the awarding of the “Origin in Bloom” Literary Prize.Tickets are limited and can be reserved for $25 per person.
The cast on the day will include Colum McCann, Charlotte Moore, Terry Donnolly, Rosemary Fine, Fiona Walsh, Aidan Redmond, Paula Nance, Gina Costigan, Colin Ryan and more. Music will be by Allen Gogarty. You can call Blooms Tavern to make reservations at (212) 308-9400.
Now here is more news of one of the biggest events that is happening next week and that is The Emerald Isle Immigration Center’s charity cruise. The Celtic Cruise will be held on Wednesday, June 12th. Cost is $125 per person and includes live music, full buffet dinner and a premium open bar. Boarding is at 6pm at Chelsea Piers located at 12th Avenue at West 23rd Street. Call (917) 627-0858 for further information.
The United Irish Counties 2019 Feis will take place on Sunday, June 9 at Saunders Trade High School located at 183 Palmer Road in Yonkers. The oldest Feis in the US is always looking for volunteers to help setup and staff the event itself. If interested, please contact co-chair Anne Hearn at (917) 751-3484 or email her at anne.hearn@verizon.net.
As you might have seen, an ad on another page here in The Irish Examiner is for a Golf Outing Drive for the Cure that should interest all the golfers that read this paper. The Brian Collins 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament with proceeds to benefit Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will be held on July 15. The venue is the Rockaway River Country Club (30 Pocono Road, Denville, New Jersey). All the information is on the ad in this issue and if you need more details you can email Eddie Dowling at ed@paddedwagon.com.
The American Irish Historical Society is presenting An Evening with David McCourt Lecture followed by a Q&A and book signing on Wednesday June 5 at 5:30pm in The River Club of New York (447 East 52nd Street). Join them for an evening with American Irish Historical Society’s Board Member and Gold Medalist, David McCourt at The River Club where he will discuss his new book “Total Rethink: Why Entrepreneurs Should Act Like Revolutionaries.” Considered to be one of the most prominent investors and entrepreneurs in the technology, media and telecommunications industries for the past 30 years, The Economist has described him as possessing “impeccable credentials as a telecom revolutionary.”
See you all again next week when I am Out&About again.