Yes, we’ve got a few of inches of snow only for one day but I am confident that Saturday March 17th will be a very nice day; in case you don’t know what day that is it’s Saint Patrick’s Day.
No, I am not the weatherman, I just have a very good feeling and I know that Jeff Cleary will be all the way down from Albany attending the Ireland-US Council lunch that is the hottest ticket you can’t find and isalways a great success. Jeff also does a great job on Saint Patrick’s Day – he acts as an usher at the Cathedral for the St. Patrick’s Day Mass at 8 am, good man Jeff.
What a fabulous night it was once again at Antun’s in Queens Village for the Cork B.P & P Association’s 134th Annual Saint Patrick’s Ball and Dinner. What can I say? Only that the King family – Joe and Mickey – are superb and so professional in all their catering and presentations for every occasion. Good on yea boys.
The evening was a blast and with the Lord Mayor of Cork Tony Fitzgerald in attendance how could it be any better. The honorees on the night were Eddie O’Brien, Mary Cahill, Michael Doherty and the 50 year members Sean Driscoll and Jerry Leary; now where would you get so much talent.
The County Longford Association’s 127th Anniversary Celebration dance will be held on Sunday March 11th at Barone Manor (737 Throgs Neck Expressway in the Bronx). The festivities will begin with a Cocktail hour at 4 pm in the main banquet hall followed by dinner and dancing to the music of the McLean Avenue Band until 9 pm.Tickets for the evening are priced at $125 per person.
The Guest of Honor is Frank Rowley and for reservations contact Aidan McGoldrick (917) 939-4579 or Sean Sorohan (914) 420-4278.
Treasa Goodwin Smyth is once again co-hosting the television broadcast of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade on WNBC (Channel 4) along with her husband Tommy and the lovely Lauren Scala.
This year the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade is being dedicated to Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of New York and also to the Good Friday Agreement, which was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process of the 1990s. Northern Ireland’s present devolved system of government is based on the agreement.
The Irish Repertory Theatre has a huge hit coming up and believe me, you need to make sure you have booked your tickets early because this is going to be big show. It’s called The Seafarer and will be performed on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage. Written by Conor McPherson, directed by Ciarán O’Reilly and starring Matthew Broderick, Colin McPhillamy, Michael Mellamphy, Andy Murray, and Tim Ruddy the show will run from March 30 to May 13.
Written by Irish Playwright Conor McPherson (The Weir, Shining City), The Seafarer premiered at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2006 and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Play.
It premiered on Broadway in December of 2007, where it was nominated for four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Play. This will be Matthew Broderick’s second production with Irish Repertory Theatre, the first in McPherson’s Shining City in 2016, hailed by The New York Times as “his most assured and affecting stage performance in years.”
Purchase tickets online or call (212) 727-2737. You can also visit their Box Office at 132 West 22nd Street.
The Gala of Galas is about to happen and it’s another hot ticket, now here is the information:
The Board of Directors of The St. Patrick’s Day Foundation, NYC cordially invite you to attend its Annual Gala Dinner at The Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 E 42nd Street) honoring Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Grand Marshal of the 257th New York City Patrick’s Day Parade. At the gala. the St. Patrick Service Award will be presented to Joseph LaPointe, FDNY for his service to the City of New York and The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
There will also be a featured performance by world renowned soprano Mary Dunleavy. The gala is being held on Friday, March 16 starting with cocktails at 6:30 pm, followed by the dinner and entertainment from 7:30 pm.
The Cavan B&P Association of New York will be holding its 170th Annual Dinner Dance at Riccardo’s by the Bridge on April 7. Their Guest of Honor is none other than Ciaran O’Reilly.
Ciaran was born in Virginia, Co. Cavan. He immigrated to the United States in 1978 where he worked as a janitor, a furniture mover, a painter, a bus boy, a cutter of window shades in a factory and as the superintendent of a building. He attended evening acting classes and writing courses at the New School.
An avid motorcyclist, Ciaran rode around the world from Co. Cavan to New York (the long way round) and then a few years later, from New York to the Northern shores of Alaska to the tip of South America. He wrote about his travels in American Motorcycle Magazine.
In 1988, he founded The Irish Repertory Theatre with Charlotte Moore where he works as an actor, director, and serves as their Producing Director.
From modest beginnings, (the box-office was in his bedroom!) the Irish Repertory Theatre has grown to a fully-fledged New York institution with two performing spaces in at their home on West 22nd Street. Some 50,000 people attend Irish Rep productions each year.
He has received numerous awards including Drama Desk, Drama League, Eugene O’Neill Lifetime Achievement Award, and has thrice been named in the Top 100 by Irish America Magazine.
He is married to Jennifer Essen and they have two children, Olivia and Seamus – who are their pride and joy.
The Irish Examiner and all it’s staff would like to congratulate this great Irishman, Ciaran O’Reilly for all the work that he has been doing for the Irish community. He is a great Irish artist!
As we were going to press we received the sad news of the passing of Dennix Gallery after a hard fought battle with cancer.
Born in the Bronx, New York, Dennis was reared in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. Though surrounded by traditional Irish music throughout his childhood, it was not until Dennis returned to New York as a teenager that he actually began to play music.
Dennis went out on his own after many years of playing in successful local bands in the New York Irish scene, and most people will remember Dennis as the bandleader of Celtic Justice.
He was an amazing entertainer and dedicated mentor, and, above all, a faithful and loyal family man and friend, and will be missed by all those who had the great fortune to come in contact with him.
See you all next week when I am out and about once more.