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IRISH EXAMINER | September 18th, 2019
Out & About

BByy PPaaddddyy MMccCCaarrtthhyy

Yes, they did again, the Dublin football team are
All-Ireland Champions for 2019. What can I say? It is
indescribable and never seen before, winning FIVE
All-Irelands in a row and probably will never be seen
again in my lifetime. You have to hand it to them
because the other 31 counties were hoping it would
never happen, especially for Dublin - the Capital of
Ireland. What can you say about Jim Gavin the coach
who I have met on a few occasions when he visited
New York with the team, you never get used to
would yea, and what a gentleman he is, good on yea
Jim do it again one more time. We are talking history
here and it was made with class so from all of us here
at The Irish Examiner, congratulations boys.
I am so happy that I went to the Ancient Order of
Hibernians Nassau County Feis and Festival that
was held last Sunday at Nickerson Beach Park on Lido
Beach, Long Island. The event lasted from 9am to
6pm and I was told that they had a record turnout.
The Feis was brilliant with more than 40 tents with
performers in different categories of Irish step dancing. Make sure that the Danbury Irish Festival is on your bucket list for this weekend
They also had competitions for the pipe bands and North America the same day. If you want any other music and culture. Gerry convinced the President of
now that is what I loved. The Honoree was none information you can contact Jack O’Brien, Ancient the Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians,
other that Andrew Healy who was born in Brooklyn Order of Hibernians NY State Board Pro Life Sharon Higgins that this was a worthwhile project.
and has Irish heritage from County Cork. I knew there Chairman and AOH Nassau County President at (516) Together, Gerry and Sharon shared their ideas with
was something very good about him as he has that 724-6821 or email info@ProLifeLI.org. the men and women of the Danbury Ancient Order of
Cork connection, just kidding. As you might know, we like to highlight festivals in Hibernians to support this idea and work together to
It was great to meet and greet some friends and Out&About because they keep our Irish heritage alive establish an Irish Festival. Any profits would be used
organizers at the festival: Mike and Rosemarie Byrne, and it brings back a little bit of who we really are. It is to build an Irish Cultural Center in Danbury.
Betty McLoughlin, Donald Mahony, Dermot and just wonderful to see families coming out and sup- Gerry’s dream became a reality in 1995 when the
Pat Kelly, Eileen Cronin, Anita Daly and her hus- porting these Irish festivals and showing the young Greater Danbury Irish Festival made its debut in
band Jim, Tim Myles (the hardest working man in the and young at heart who we truly are again. There is Rogers Park. The festival subsequently relocated to
place), Joe McDonald and Katie Gallagher; I could go nobody like the Irish and people that want to be Irish the Ives Center and continued there until 2011 when
forever as there were so many good people and volun- and I do mean friends from all denominations like bad weather and financial difficulties caused it to
teers all helping to make it a great success. I almost for- Tommy DeSantis and Jeff Cleary who thrive on downsize and be held for several years at the Lake
got the band that were performing. They were called been related to been Irish. Avenue Irish Cultural Center.
Bangers and Mash and they were very good as well The Danbury Irish Festival is becoming one of the Beginning in 2018, the Irish Festival was moved to
and are under the wings of Daly Agency major events in upstate New York and let me tell you the beautiful grounds of the Portuguese Cultural
Communications so that’s why she was there? Nah, it is well worth a visit and, with the good weather fore- Center in order to accommodate many bands, events
she also lives in Long Beach and I am sure we will hear cast for this weekend why not make it one of your and parking and not have to worry about Mother
a lot of this band again. trips or put it on your bucket list for the future. Here Nature’s wet and wild mood swings!
Also at the event I got to meet Jack O’Brien the is a bit of background on the festival and how it all Here is some of the entertainment for this year’s
organizer of the Stand up for Life that I am so happy started and how it has become one of the major Irish festival that I know you will definably enjoy. You have
to let you know about and should be well supported. festivals in North America: Twenty-two years ago, the great Cunningham Brothers who, believe me can
This Pro Life group will on hold a Respect Life Sunday Gerry Curran, who was the President of the Danbury play anything from jigs, reels, folk, jazz, rock, blues
on October 6, and is the largest such event on Long Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians at the and so much more, Shillelagh Law that will also keep
Island. It is organized it as part of the National Life time, had a dream—to bring an Irish Festival to you on your feet and Tipperary Knights. Now what
Chain, that takes place in more than 1,550 cities across Danbury in order to present and perpetuate Irish can I say about the last band? Only that they are bril-
liant and they play a lot of Dubliners, Wolfe Tones,
Christy Moore and of course their own flavor of very
Follow Us On... good music.

You can get tickets now online at eventbrite.com,
so get yours today! They will take cash or credit cards
at the gate. A full weekend pass is $20. Friday, Sep. 20,
2019: 6 to 10 p.m. Admission: $5 per person Children
12 and under are free! Saturday, Sep. 21, 2019: 12 p.m.
to 11 p.m. Admission: $10 per person Children 12 and
irishexaminerusa under are free! Sunday, Sep. 24, 2019: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: $10 per person Children 12 and under are
free!
For more information please email dan-
irishexaminerus buryirish@gmail.com, call (203) 501-7424 or visit dan-
buryirishfestival.org.
See you all again next week when I am
Out&About again. C