Out & About

Last Friday night when I called in to Smith and Wollensky Steakhouse on Third Avenue - which Tom Hart, the General Manager, runs with perfection and with a very professional staff - I met up with James Houlihan and his lovely wife Pat of Houlihan-Parnes/iCap Realty Advisors together with Gene and Sheila McCarthy, who are great friends of mine, in Wollensky's Grill.

Also in their company was Pauline Turley the director of the Irish Arts Theatre and Eugene Downes, the Chief Executive of Culture Ireland, who was over from Ireland to promote and fund Traditional Music.

Now that was fairly heavy group out for the night.

Jeff Cleary called us to say he did not know he was that popular in New York and to thank us for the mention in last week's column.

The New York St. Patrick's Day Parade kicked off a reception to honor Michael Gibbons, the Grand Marshal of the 2009 Parade at the Irish Consulate on Tuesday night.

On the night the Consul General of Ireland, Ambassador Niall Burgess, hosted a reception in his offices on Park Avenue to introduce the new Official Corporate Seal for the St. Patrick's Day Parade this year and to thank all the partners and corporate sponsors for the biggest Parade in the World.   

The Emerald Isle Immigration Center's 16th Annual Robert Brisco Awards takes place at the "21" Club (21 West 52nd Street).

The awards will be presented by Robert's son the Hon. Ben Brisco, a former member of the Dáil (Irish Parliament).

The United Irish Counties Association of New York will be hosting its 105th Annual Dinner Dance on Friday, January 30 at Antun's. For reservations call (718) 994-4646.

What do you think of Colin Farrell winning a Golden Globe Award? It's just great for him and the other Irish winners who included Gabriel Byrne and Danny Boyle.

Do think we are ready to take over Hollywood yet? It certainly looks that way, right?

There are lots of events coming up: The American Ireland Fund are having a kickoff reception to launch its 34th Annual New York Dinner Gala on Tuesday February 3 at the Rainbow Room, though I am not too sure whether it will still be open.

The AIF  dinner itself will be at a later date and the Honorees will be An Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D. and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The Ireland-U.S.Council winter meeting is being held in Palm Beach, Florida from February 11 to 13. For more information call (212) 867-6268.

Well, as I said last week, this looks to be a good year with a lot happening, and I am  quite sure a lot more is planned.

Look what's coming as far as concerts in the New York area go.

Starting at the Hammerstein Ballroom (West 34th Street) on Sunday February 15 we have Flogging Molly, then at Roseland (West 52nd Street) you have the Dropkick Murphys playing on Friday March 6 and Saturday March 7.

The big one, of course, is the news that The Pogues will be in town on Thursday March 12, Friday March 13 and Saturday March 14 to play Roseland as well.

The Cripple of Inishmaan is a big show on Broadway at the Atlantic Theater West (20th Street) which definitely should not be missed.

The play was written by Academy Award Winner and four-time Tony Nominee Martin McDonagh. For reservations call (212) 279-4200. 

See you all next week.