Out & About

Frank McCourt, the author and actor never forgot where he came from; whether you liked his books or not, he was always the same man, even after he won the Pulitzer Prize for his magnificently rendered telling of his miserable childhood in Ireland with his book "Angela's Ashes".

One of my own memories  of Frank was back about ten years ago when we were sitting at a table at a dinner in the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel and he was asking my advice about his daughter Maggie who was a deadhead  (that was someone at the time who followed the Grateful Dead all over the country and it cost a lot of money too).

Well I said to Frank, who was really worried about his daughter and what should he do, I said Frank, as he knew I was in the music business,  do not be down on yourself as she will grow out of it and will be back to normality sooner than you think.

I must have struck a cord with him because he said that I'd made his day!

Now, as you might know Frank and Malachy performed on stage with "A Couple of Blaguards," which was a two-character comedy with incidental music and was created by the two brothers, Frank and Malachy McCourt and let me tell you it was funny.

We will all miss him and our condolences go out to his surviving family members, included his wife Ellen; his brother, Malachy; and his daughter, Maggie.

He is also survived by brothers Alphie and Michael and three grandchildren.

The show went on though as we paid a visit to the Galway Hooker Pub and Restaurant which is located on 36th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues.

They're are serving one of the most reasonable lunch specials from Monday to Friday in the City at just $12 (from 11.30am to 4pm). You can chose from appetizers and entrees and then a weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11.30am to 4pm with two complimentary drinks all for only $10. Now where else would you get a deal like that.

When call into the Galway Hooker please say hello to the bar staff: Michelle the Manager and the bartenders Gavin, Cameron and Rene.

We went to see Paul McCartney in concert on Friday night at Citi Field with Gerry O'Donavan from Ryan's Irish Pub and we were blown away with his performance and also with the opening act from Dublin, The Script (who The Irish Examiner writer Mick Fitz did a great interview with a couple of months ago).

Garrett Doyle, the President of the Emerald Guild Society is being honored this Thursday (July 23) at the Irish Consulate as The Irish Examiner newspaper's Man of the Year.

I can only tell you the support for Garrett has been  tremendous and we here are so proud to be presenting the award as it is very well deserved.

We met up with Paul Hurley from P. D.  Hurley's in the Riverside Park, Hudson Cafe, and he was telling me it must have been because of this column that he was packed over the weekend, huh! Sometimes it works and thanks for those comments.

I just got to meet John Mahon, the partner in the Pig'n'Whistles, PJ Moran's, O'Brien's Irish Pub, Langan's Broadway Tavern and Eamonn's Bars and Restaurants that are the most famous establishments in New York City and there's a lot more to come if what I have heard on the grapevine is true.

This came in late. You can get to meet and greet Boxing Legends for Charity: Mitch Green, Vito Antuofermo, Iran Barkley and the great John Duddy at Citibar (1446 1st Avenue at 75th Street) this Wednesday (July 22) from 6pm to 9pm.

On a sad note, I'm sure you all know what has happened over the last few weeks here in New York... The Aisling Irish Community Center have organized a mass for the families and friends of sudden death, accident and suicide victims lost over the years in the Irish Community here in New York.

It will take place on Friday, July 31st at 8pm in St. Barnabas Church, in Woodlawn in The Bronx, and will be celebrated by Fr. Lee.

Please pass this information onto everyone. Thank you. May they rest in peace. For more information please contact Órla Kelleher, the Executive Director of the Aisling Irish Community Center (990 McLean Avenue in Yonkers) on (914) 237-5121 or (914) 237-7121.

Maybe next week's column will not be so much doom and gloom. I certainly hope so. See you all next week.