Out & About

Everyone who is anyone was at the event and I wish I could mention them all, but it would take up the whole paper if I did.

I will however name a few including, James and Oona Clare, JP & Melissa Delaney, Frank McCourt, Attracta Lyndon of Dooley's Rent-a-Car, the great Maeve O'Malley (who seems to be enjoying her retirement), one of Ireland's most-famous actors Milo O'Shea and his wife Kitty O'Sullivan and, yes, the radio master himself Adrian Flannelly and his lovely wife Aine Sheridan. As I said I could go on and on as the cream of the crop in the theater and business worlds were at the event.

The guest of honor was Philip J Smith, Chairman of the Shubert Organization who also sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors and on the Tony Awards Administration Committee of the Broadway League. Now could you ask for a better honoree than this man huh?

It was all go this week as we also had the 'Women of Concern' lunch last Thursday at the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue. The Women of the Year Awards Luncheon honored Beth A. Brooke (Global Vice Chair of Ernst & Young) and Loretta Brennan Glucksman (Chairperson of the American Ireland Fund). Again it was a splendid lunch that was kicked off by Tom Moran, the Chairman of Mutual of America, who introduced the guests and thanked everybody for their support. Tom is also the Chairman of Concern and he works very hard for this great charity.

On a very wet Friday evening I met up with Pat Burke of the Pig'n'Whistle on 47th Street along with Dermot Kelly, the backbone of the Kruise for Kids, for a few cocktails and it was wet, but that didn't stop us from moving down to O'Brien's Irish Pub on 46th Street along with some tourists from Australia who had joined us in the Pig'n'Whistle and came with us.

Well, I can only tell you that the night was one big sing-song as the band Enda and (small) Brian played music that was superb and the singing was tops. I left to catch a train at Penn Station and, of course, a stop at Tracks before heading out to Long Island.

On Saturday I headed to Belmont Racetrack hoping to win the big one. Hah, well that didn't happen as the Bird did not fly... I am, of course, talking about 'Mind that Bird'. I should have known Summer Bird, it was in my face all day... the Sun that is.

Now, was that a tip or not? To my surprise who arrived? Only the bold Pat Burke and Dermot Kelly and what more can I say? We had another few drinks and a little bit of food. John Mahon and his son John were in our company along with Pat's wife Lilly and her brother and his wife and a whole gang from the bar trade just to keep the whole day nice and happy.

Monday we headed up to Albany, New York's State Capital to meet and greet the Senators and Assemblymen and women.

Lo and behold, there were fireworks while we were there when two of the Democrats switched sides and joined the Republicans in the Senate after which all hell broke loose.

I was wondering, was it because we were visiting for the first time?

I was told by some of the politicians that this was a historic occassion and it would have happen when we were in the building.

I have to thank Jeff Cleary, Chris Callaghan and Tom Ryan as it was Jeff who invited us up and let me tell you the place was breathtaking.

We first met up with Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt who was nice enough to invite us into her office. We had a good chat about her Irish connections and boy is she proud of her Irish heritage!

Next we met with Assemblyman Phil Boyle who was also very helpful with his time and even took a walk in the park across from the Capitol Building with us.

The man that blew me away was another member of the Assembly, John (Jack) J. McEneny, an Irish-American who represents Albany and knows more of its history than anyone else I know.

This man could tell you stories about everything and anything in the history of the Irish coming to America though I won't go into details in this column since we will be covering the Irish and Irish Americans in Albany in upcoming issues of newspaper, with interviews and features that will make your hair stand on end.

Finally we spent a little time with Assemblyman Michael Cusick from Staten Island, who very generously spoke to us for a while despite the other demands on his time both in and outside of the Assembly chamber.

All I can say is, thank you Jeff Cleary it was something I will remember for a very long time, and I can't wait to take a trip back up as we made alot of friends.

I almost forgot the most important person on our trip and that was Diane Kennedy, President of the New York News Publishers Association. With all the action in the Senate, she had to rush away when the news broke but that just gives us another reason for us to go back up there again.

See you all next week