I was at the Mass for our great friend Sean McNeill who passed away on July 26th here in New York. Sean was the past President of the Irish Business Organization, was also honored by this paper The Irish Examiner USA and will be solely missed because he gave so much to the community here in New York. Rest in Peace Sean.
I was invited to the Children’s Medical Research Foundation Gala Dinner by the Chairman himself, Eoin Duane and was so lucky to meet his family as well. This event was held at The Water Club that is situated on the eastside of New York and let me tell it is a beautiful venue to host your event and the owner is a fabulous entrapreneur Buzzy O’Keeffe who is a professional all the way.
Coming back to Eoin and his team the night was just superb from start to finish; the service, the food, the drinks and the entertainment, all superb! The night broke last year’s fundraising totals, raising $150,000 for the Children’s Medical Research Foundation, now that is something and again congratulations for all the hard to Chairman Eoin Duane and the Emerging Leaders’ Board.
Now let me tell you about the outstanding entertainment on the evening, it was again brilliant from start to finish. With the cream of Irish entertainment starting with violinist Greg Harrington and his percussionist was breathless and the music just flowed out of him and the guests just loved it. I personally was just blown away with the talent of Greg Harrington. Now how could you follow that?
Well they did with Irish impressionist and comedian Conor Moore who had the whole crowd in tears laughing as he was just brilliant and so funny. He can do so many voice impressions I can only say this comedian his heading for the stars and you are going to hear a lot of him in the future.
It’s coming! Yes it’s coming time for the Tug Boat Roundup in Waterford in the southern-most municipality in Saratoga County. Bordering Rensselaer County across the Hudson River and Albany County across the Mohawk River, Waterford is the gateway to Erie and Champlain Canals.
The village of Waterford is a village within the Town of Waterford. The village was founded in 1794 and is the oldest continually incorporated village in the United States.
The town was founded in 1816 when Halfmoon was split into the town of Halfmoon and the town of Waterford, taking on the name of the village.
The Tugboat Roundup is a town event. Waterford is home to the Waterford Flight. When the Erie-Barge Canal opened in 1917, five large locks on the Waterford side of the canal replaced the original sixteen locks that had brought the old canal through Cohoes, navigating around the Cohoes Falls.
The Waterford flight of five locks in 1.5 miles raise boats the greatest vertical distance in the world from 15.2 feet to 180 feet. Peebles Island State Park is in Waterford. Peebles Island is home to deer, coyotes, and other wildlife.
Trails run throughout the island and around the perimeter. The Waterford Harbor hosts the Tugboat Roundup, Steamboat Meet, Waterford Canal Festival, Dragon Boat Races, and a weekly farmers market. Visit the town’s website at www.town.waterford.ny.us.
See you all again next week when I am Out&About again.