Page 13 - Irish Examiner USA

featureexaminer 13

New York and nightlife of the
time. He gained initial fame as IRISH
the owner of Malachy's, his
Third Avenue bar that became
a legend in its day, where EXAMINER
celebrities and others gathered
nightly in its convivial atmos-
phere. The late actor Richard |
Harris was a frequent patrons
who, though famous, took October
time to bartend for McCourt.
But as things are won’t to go in
NYC, McCourt and Harris had 16th,
some issues and his erstwhile
partners eventually pushed 2019
him out of his namesake hot-
pot and the business.
As for TV, he has appeared
in three NYC-based soap
operas: “Ryan's Hope,” “Search
for Tomorrow,”and “One Life
to Live.” He also made Malachy McCourt and Michele Remsen attend “Toss It” launch party at Punch Bar & Grill in Manhattan
Christmas-time appearances on 2010 election. “That was the thing. “When I was a kid, there group,’ ‘Oh, you would? Do and poetic bent comes from
“All My Children” as Father Green Party and they asked me was a group in Limerick called you have any experience?’ I mother Angela. “When she
Clarence, who gave inspira- if I would run for Governor The College Players, an ama- said ‘No, but I don’t need it I’m was dying in a New York hospi-
tional advice to Pine Valley res- and I said, “Fine!’ I had no idea teur group. Being from the Irish.’ ‘Will you read for us?’ ‘I tal [from emphysema], she
idents. Through a short-lived that I was going to be, I said, slums and all, I thought, ‘Jesus will.’ So, following Sunday turned to the doctor and said,
role as a Catholic priest in ‘What does a Governor do? it would be lovely to join after a few bloody Mary’s I ‘We come from a long line of
“Oz,” HBO’s prison drama You’ll have to tell me.’ So, I got them!’ but they were aupper went and read. Someone was dead people’ When we took
added to his supposed religious more than 40,000 people vot- class and very British. In leaving the cast, a fella my age, turns to sit with her near the
status. As you know, I’m politi- ing for me. Up in Syracuse, the Limerick, there were many and they put me in. And that end, she popped her eyes open
cally to the left of Karl Marx, reporter there asked ‘What will people like that, with the fuck- was the beginning. Just like and said, ‘What are you doing
and an atheist. Thank God! you do when you’re first elect- ing snobbery. I was about 12 or that.” here?’ I said, ‘I thought you
This offended the Irish, they ed?’ And I said ‘Well, I will do 13. I asked who was in charge In 1970, McCourt released might die tonight’. She then
used to say, ‘You’re a disgrace away with that name Empire of The Cottage Players and an album, And the Children said, ‘I might, I might not.
to the Irish and Holy Mother State, because I don’t want to solicitor sent me down. So, I Toll the Passing of the Day and That’s my business’.”
Church and Holy Mother be Emperor, I want to be went down to his office, and in the ‘70s, hosted a WMCA Malachy never fully recon-
Ireland.’ So that’s what it is.” Governor.’ I just decided to was still in short pants, snotty talk show. More recently, he ciled with Malachy Sr, who
Describing himself this way have a lot of fun. The Green nose, scabby knees, scabby appeared on various WBAI lived out his final days in
he added, “I hear people talk Party requires you to have eyes and a haircut that looked (the late lamented NYC’s Belfast. “I wrote him a letter
about going to heaven. Why 50,000 votes to stay on the bal- like it’d been done with a knife freeform radio station) pro- once and outlined my griev-
would you want to go there? lot so I didn’t. and fork! You know, all the grams such as Radio Free Éire- ances, rages and resentments,
To sit at the right hand of God, “What I find distasteful is appointees of poverty. Finally, I ann and had hosted a call-in and finished it, ‘with all of that
looking into his earlobe for the number if Irish Americans went in and he’s sitting there radio forum on Sundays at said, I forgive you’. I got a very
eternity? I wouldn’t want to be around Trump. It is amazing to looking at me with such dis- 11am. He noted, “I used to say, short note back, ‘Dear
with him. I’m with Dorothy me that you Kelly, Flynn, taste and I said, ‘I’d like to join I can’t wait to hear what I have Malachy, thank you for your
Parker, ‘heaven for the com- Ryan, McConnell and Spence, The College Players Sir.’ ‘You to say next on the radio. So, the letter, I’m trying to catch the
fort, hell for the company’. there’s a whole lot of them! would? For what?’ he said. I writing was very spontaneous. last post. Your father.’ Then he
McCourt also built quite a And then you have Father said, ‘To be an actor sir.’ ‘And But Bob Dylan used to say was died. That was the last commu-
reputation in left-of-center poli- Coughlin [in the past], who what makes you think you ‘I don’t write songs. I write nication we had.”
tics. In April 2006, McCourt was a fucking Nazi! How could could be an actor?’ ‘Because I’d them down.’” With that, Malachy Jr.
announced he would seek the they? There were two regi- like to be sir.’ ‘Well, if ever we And he’s done his share of reflected, “I love the Irish
New York State governorship ments in the British Army need anybody of your type, theater whether as a regular approach to death and I’m
in the November election as a when the Revolution came, we’ll send for you.’ So, I left. guest artist at the Scranton, always talking about death —
Green Party candidate. and they were the Roman And I didn’t make I there in Pennsylvania, Public Theatre it’s a great subject. The thing is,
Running under the slogan, Catholic Regiment and The Limerick. — performing in “Inherit the humans have a 100 per cent
"Don't waste your vote, give it Volunteers of Ireland who “Then I come to New York, Wind,” and “Love Letters” or mortality rate. I do wish the
to me,” McCourt promised to opposed Washington. These I’m working in the service for a doing “A Couple of Blaguards” Government would do some-
recall the state National Guard facts of history are not known while, working on the docks, which he co-wrote with broth- thing about that. At my age
from Iraq, make public educa- to all Irish people. The writer unloading cargo and so on. I’m er Frank and they performed it now, I’m in the departure
tion free through college, and George Russell said, ‘You even- making a nice bit of money, together for quite a while. lounge, and all the brothers
to institute a statewide "sick- tually become the thing you almost $2.75 an hour which His Limerick childhood has and Mary Margaret [a sister,
ness care" system. Though hate the most.’ And that’s it, was good stuff at the time. I’d cast a long shadow on his life, who died as an infant, as did
endorsed by Cindy Sheehan, why so many of ours become just go to theater by myself, for many reasons. Born of brothers Eugene and Oliver]
mother of a fallen Iraq War sol- traitors to our own independ- because Broadway was only $7 Angela (Sheehan) and Malachy are gone. I look at life as being
dier, The League of Women ence of thought and philoso- or $8. I went to see a group McCourt in NYC, McCourt purely temporary. Live every
Voters excluded him from the phy and of people who are just called the Irish Flairs, and again was raised there until his USA day as if it’s your last, and one
gubernatorial debate. He came subjugated.” got this urge. So, I asked some- return in ’52. As the last surviv- day, you’ll be right. I wake up
in a distant third in the general Malachy’s myriad successes one, ‘Excuse me can I speak to ing child from among seven in the morning and if I see the
election, receiving 40,729 votes have the feel of a man deter- the boss?’ I don’t remember his McCourts kids, following the ceiling, I think ‘this is terrific!’ If
(or just under 1%), 9,271 votes mined to leave behind the name but he said, ‘Well I’m the death of his younger brother a coffin lid is there in front of
short of what was required to poverty of his formative years. producer what can I do for Alphonsus in 2016, he admits my nose, well f*** it, I’m not
gain automatic access in the Especially with the acting you?’ ‘I’d like to join your that much of the family’s wit going to bother.” C