{"id":20185,"date":"2021-03-03T13:33:15","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T17:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20185"},"modified":"2021-03-03T13:33:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T17:33:26","slug":"20185","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20185","title":{"rendered":"Out&About"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Here is a little snapshot on how they celebrate Saint Patrick\u2019s Day in Texas (thesanantonioriverwalk.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>By Paddy McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n

I am so proud to know that The Irish Examiner USA is reaching all across the United States of America in the Irish communities. A lovely lady call Joan Moody<\/strong> has sent me a piece on the Harp and Shamrock Society of San Antonio, Texas<\/strong>. Together with the the Alamo Shrine<\/strong>, they are pleased to announce social distanced Alamo Ceremonies to be held at High Noon on St. Patrick\u2019s Day. Claire McCarthy, Consul General of Ireland at Austin<\/strong> will be present as well as Dana Goodman<\/strong>, Irishman of the Year and Cusack Award Recipients Dr. Gerry Mulvey<\/strong> and Elvira Barrera<\/strong>.\u00a0Society organizers of this annual event which was the first event sponsored by the Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas in 1966 are Melissa Schulz<\/strong> and Elizabeth Hajek<\/strong>. Society president is Elissa O’Brien<\/strong>. For more information on the society call (210) 656-2666 or visit www.harpandshamrock.org<\/a>\u00a0or the society\u2019s facebook page.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s news from New York Council Speaker Cory Johnson<\/strong> that should help bars and restaurants throughout the tristate area and is well overdue. The City Council\u2019s Small Business Committee is holding a hearing as we go to press on two bills providing civil penalty relief for small businesses, who for too\u00a0long have been subjected to onerous fines from New York City.\u00a0After conducting a year-long review of the extensive network of rules and regulations that apply to the City\u2019s small businesses, the Council drafted legislation\u00a0to\u00a0permanently\u00a0update more than 180 laws\u00a0and to provide immediate relief to businesses by refunding unnecessary fines.\u00a0I am giving you all this news because I am limited in being able to go Out&About and hopefully with all the vaccinations going on right now we will get back to normal and have a cocktail and some dinner again soon.<\/p>\n

\"\"I have just been told that The Irish Rep\u2019s \u2018Theatre @ Home Winter Festival\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0closes this coming Sunday, March 7! This week features\u00a0one final screening of each of their nine performances on screen\u00a0in order of release! See what you\u2019ve been missing, complete the collection, or rewatch your favorites!<\/p>\n

Reservations are free but required to access their digital events.\u00a0A donation of $25 for the show, or $100 for the Festival, is suggested for those who can afford to give. Buy tickets by phone at\u00a0(212) 727-2737 or online at\u00a0irishrep.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t seem like St. Patrick\u2019s season without the panoply of parades that usually fill the boroughs through the month of March.\u00a0But the parade must go on for the Queens institution that is St. Pat\u2019s for All<\/strong>, and the 2021 edition will step off\u2014virtually\u2014this Sunday, March 7. \u201cWhen the NYPD let us know that all parades in New York are cancelled for the coming months, we had a quick learning curve and began organizing,\u201d parade founder and co-chair Brendan Fay<\/strong> said. <\/p>\n

St Pat\u2019s for All 2021 is dedicated to the memory of Tarlach MacNiallais<\/strong>, who died from Covid-19 last April, just a few weeks after last year\u2019s parade. \u201cTarlach was a much-loved advocate for LGBTQ rights in Belfast and New York,\u201d said Fay. \u201cFor 30 years he worked with AHRC, an agency for people with disabilities.\u201d \u201cOur hearts are with his spouse Juan here in Sunnyside and his family back home in Belfast.\u201d \u00a0A film tribute by Fay and Ed Caraballo<\/strong> will be part of the virtual program. \u201cMore than ever, we in the Irish diaspora are finding ways to look out for each other as we celebrate our heritage and culture,\u201d Fay added. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis year of COVID has been a hard time of loss, sadness and struggle for many. Months of social distancing has taken a toll. In the hardest of times the New York Irish have responded\u00a0compassionately\u00a0joining efforts to reach out to the food-deprived communities across the city.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Political leaders sending messages of support include\u00a0City Council member\u00a0Danny Dromm<\/strong>, Irish Consul General Ciaran Madden<\/strong> and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/strong>.\u00a0Fay said he and co-chair Kathleen Walsh D\u2019Arcy felt a responsibility to create a joyful and caring virtual program of musicians, artists in Ireland and in New York who have been meeting, and recording on Zoom for the March 7 celebration, with the goal of filling the virtual space during St. Patrick\u2019s season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

County Clare musician Brian Fleming<\/strong>, who has coordinated the musical performances of St. Pat\u2019s for All for two decades, is producing the musical part of the program. Among the legends from the Irish music world, Mick Moloney<\/strong> will perform a song celebrating the \u201cSan Patricios,\u201d the Irish soldiers who fought for Mexico in the 19th\u00a0century. Across the virtual divide, he will be joined by singer Liz Hanley<\/strong> in Boston, accompanied on fiddle by Athena Tergis<\/strong> in Italy and percussionist Brian Fleming<\/strong> in Clare.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Also performing are renowned musician David Amram<\/strong>, music teacher Colin Harte<\/strong> with students from the Bronx High School of Language and Innovation<\/strong>, Irish fiddler Tony DeMarco<\/strong>, the Niall O\u2019Leary School of Irish Dance<\/strong> and\u00a0Malachy McCourt<\/strong>.\u00a0Linking with youth from the Shannon Gaels<\/strong> in New York,\u00a0\u00a0boys and girls from Drogheda in County Louth,\u00a0\u00a0filmed a message inspired by the Seamus Heaney poem, \u201dCure at Troy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0They extend St Patrick\u2019s greetings to President Joe Biden<\/strong>, whose ancestors came from County Louth and to Drogheda native in New York, Irish\u00a0Ambassador to the UN, Geraldine Byrne\u00a0Nason<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we will miss the marching and rolling up Skillman Ave, \u00a0St Pat\u2019s for All 2021\u00a0brings us together at the virtual crossroads in a joyful transatlantic celebration of welcome, remembering and solidarity,\u201d Fay said.\u00a0\u201cWe begin each St Pat\u2019s For All remembering the generosity and kindness of the Choctaw\u00a0in 1847 during the Irish famine inspires us to get through this pandemic \u2018le cheile\u2019 together as a human family and next year we will be back dancing on Skillman Avenue and singing our hearts out in Saints and Sinners in Woodside.\u201d<\/p>\n

The virtual parade steps off on Sunday March 7 at 2 pm New York time, 7 pm in Ireland!\u00a0To stream the parade, visit the St. Pat\u2019s for All website at www.stpatsforall.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hope to see you all again when I am Out&About again… <\/p>\n

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