Out & About

On we went, stopping next door to a new restaurant, Mad Dog & Beans. It's a Mexican Cantina style restaurant that is managed by Paul O'Connor and owned by Tommy Ryan, Tommy also has The Bull's Head Tavern on Third Avenue in the 20s. It has been a busy week for us in New York as we also wandered into the Galway Hooker to see one of the owners Johno, who was working the crowd and preparing for the big NFL games on Sunday past. The Hooker has two floors and hands down the biggest TV screen in New York. We chatted with the friendly bar staff, Verity, Cameron and Jodi serving up a quite a few pints of Hoegaarden a beer that is taking New York by storm.

Got to meet Barry Twomey of O'Connor's Fairways Travel on our rounds. Barry is just back from Cork after the Christmas break, and looks relaxed and ready for 2008, lucky man.

Went along to Eamonn's on 45th Street off Madison Avenue and who would be sitting at a table with the owner Eamonn Maher but Cathy Mc Cabe from Cavan. Cathy talked and talked about what is happening around the scene and who has gone back to Ireland. I have to say she was one of the best waitresses in New York before she moved on to private nursing.

Rosie O'Grady's was packed with Superintendents from all over the city last Friday evening. The occasion was a dinner upstairs in the Manhattan Club a venue managed by the master himself, Mike Carty. This annual event takes place every year hosted by the Hibernia Provident Society. The Ticket Chairman for the evening was our old friend John Egan from Dublin. John, a band manager from back in the Showband era, was there accompanied by his beautiful wife Colette. The evening was extremely well attended with the top building supers from all over the tri-state region in attendance. MC for the night was Dermot Henry lead singer with the Virginians Showband in the 70s who topped the charts with a number one hit 'The Ring My Mother Wore' - Dermot is still very popular on the east coast with his band. Dermot is a true professional and looked like a star as usual. Also there was Limerick man, the super of supers, Kevin Minihan, his lovely wife Eileen and her sister Ann. Claudio Dellafiona and Linda O'Brien, elegant as ever, greeted everyone that came through the door. There were so many old friends that we cannot mention them all though all are great friends of mine.

The County Cork BP&P Association Annual Officer's Installation, Oath of Office and Scholarship Awards Dinner took place on Sunday January 20th 2008 with mass that was celebrated by Rev. James Drew. Guest of honor Michael Gubbins was in attendance, but missing was Corkman of the Year Pat Hurley who was sick with the flu. The president Dan McCarthy addressed the capacity crowd and welcomed everybody to the Cork Club on Greenpoint Avenue in Queens. So great friends were there including; Treasurer Mae O'Driscoll, Mary Power 1st Vice President, Martin Hurley 2nd Vice President, Barbara Cronin Financial Secretary, Timothy Murphy Sergeant at Arms and Mary Waters who headed up the Scholarship Awards Committee. Also there was a man I never tire of meeting, Joe Murphy and his wife Judy. John Browne from the Grandstand bar and restaurant was there along with Denis Forde and Eileen Martin.

The installing officer was James McNamara from the International Long Shoremen's Association.

Noelle Clancy made a grand appearance along with Larry Sullivan from Con-Serve electric engineers. The party went on for a few hours with music by Primetime. Jerry O'Donovan from Bull McCabe's on St. Mark's Place is looking for a big points Super Bowl Box. If you have one give him a call soon as he is off to New Orleans for a break, good on you Jerry we will slog on as you enjoy yourself. Finally congratulations to the Giants on their great win, and now onto Arizona to meet the Patriots on February 3rd... I will give my projection that the Giants will win by three points.

See you all next week.