Out & About

This is just a great thing to see as it shows that the Irish Heritage is as strong as ever when you realize that when we do a party they come out in their droves to attend and to honor the the guests at each of the events.

Last Thursday at the 21 Club, Brian Stack , Managing Director of CIE Tours International had a lunch to launch its  largest ever vacation program in a new 108-page brochure promoting the upcoming 2009 program of escorted vacations to Ireland, Britain, Italy and Eastern European

All the vacations can be viewed and ordered online at cietours.com.

The Ireland-US Council also had its annual Fall dinner at the Metropolitan Club on 60th Street in Manhattan on Thursday evening with a lot of  business people in attendance, some coming all the way from Ireland to attend.

Paddy Kelly of Redquartz Developments  received the Council's Award for Outstanding Achievement.

I will mention some of the guests on the night: Diarmuid Hogan was at his best when he was escorting two of his beautiful models from his modeling agency, just another one of his  businesses.

DJ Carey is doing great and on the night I could see he was having a good time as a lot of his friends were with him. We  love you DJ.

Over from Ireland was the roving Con Clarke, how does he do it.

Geraldine Byrne and Barry Lynch were working very hard to make sure everybody was comfortable on the night and I can tell you it paid off as it was a great night.

It is both happy and a little sad to see the changing of the Council Presidency  as Michael Gibbons finished his term and handed over the reins to  his successor, none other than Denis Swanson of Fox Television Stations Group...

Council President, Michael Gibbons, was been named Grand Marshal of the 2009 New York Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Mr. Gibbons will lead the marchers up New York City's Fifth Avenue on March 17 next year for the 248th staging of the world's oldest and largest civic parade.

On the same night Declan Kelly, the CEO of Financial Dynamics was the Guest of Honor at the Irish Historical Society dinner at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Good on yea Declan.

The 20th Annual Goal New York Ball was held last Friday night at Cipriani Wall Street and it proved again to be a great success.

A 'Black Tie' cocktail reception and dinner with enlivened with a live auction and casino with a live band and some dancing.

I met a lot of good friends at the event including Tommy and Patrick Burke (from Papillon Bistro and Bar on East 54th Street) and their lovely wives along with Des O'Brien (of Langan's Broadway Irish Bar and Restaurant on 47th Street) and his wife, Pat Burke (of Pig'N'Whistle on 47th fame) and his wife, and Eugene Wilson of Channel 4 Bar and Restaurant on 48th Street in the heart of Rockefeller Center and NBC Studios.

Danny McDonnell and Mike Jewell of one of Wall Street's most famous bars and restaurants, Ulysses on Pearl street, Sammy O'Connor of Stone Street Restaurant, Ronan Downes the owner of Beckett's and the Waterstone restaurants, which are also on Pearl Street, were all at the fundraiser and I can tell you it was a late night

Also at the event was Ed Fitzmaurice  of Anheuser Busch and he and his wife topped off a great night.

The Hunger Memorial Foundation annual award dinner was held on Monday night at The Ritz Carlton down in Battery Park with the night led off by Adrian Flannelly the Irish Cultural Liaison and of radio fame.

This man is everywhere and always working. Do you like that Adrian? He always says that I never mention him... now there you go...

Tom Moran of Mutual of America performed the introductions on behalf of the Board of Directors who were honoring Robert Douglass who is currently Counsel at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLC.

Mr. Douglass was Counsel and Secretary to late Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Don't forget The United Restaurant & Tavern Owners of New York's 71st Annual Dinner Dance next Wednesday (November 19th) at Tavern on the Green on Central Park West at West 67th Street which will honor Paddy Reilly and John Doolan. For tickets call (212)557-5200. The dinner promises to be the highlight of the year... See you next week.