Out & About

Last week I should have said that I went to the opening of the new "Downtown Galway Hooker" that is on Seventh Avenue and 10th Street. You also have the "Galway Hooker" on 36th Street, between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue.

Please forgive me for that (boo-hoo!) and thanks to all especially Donal Walsh, Anahi Angelone, Niamh Conroy and all the staff as again I had a great night and will be back quite often believe me, and that's a promise.

Now for the Dancing Queen from Eamonn's Bar and Grill - just kidding - as I got her name wrong last week. It should have been Avril Tansey and ye,s I did enter you and Eamonn for the competition. Let's see what happens.

Lots happening again around the town with a lot of events going on, so I am going to mix them up starting with the Emerald Isle Immigration Center who are having their Annual Dinner at the Astoria World Manor (25-22 Astoria Boulevard, in Astoria) at 7pm on Friday, October 30.

The Guests of Honor are Elizabeth Crowley, New York City Council, District 30, Joe Carty, Proprietor of the Rambling House in Woodlawn and Terrence O'Sullivan, President of the Laborers' International Union of North America.

For more information, tickets and journal advertizing call Sandra Boyle at (718) 478-5502, extension 211.

The County Cork  B.P.&P. Association are having their 125th Anniversary Banquet on Friday, October 16 at the Terrace on the Park (52-11 111th Street, Flushing Meadow Park) and their honoree is Jack Ahern, the Business Manager/Financial Secretary of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 30 and he is also the President of the NYC Council.

Cocktails begin at 7pm and dinner and dancing at 8pm.

For tickets call Mary Waters at (718) 899-6776 or Mary Hurley on (917) 886-4196.

Two great events happened last week that are well worth mentioning. First, the benefit for the Maureen O'Hara Legacy Center that was held at the New York Athletic Club on Tuesday September 29 and Wednesday September 30 where in attendance was none other than Michael Flatley of Riverdance fame.

The Maureen O'Hara Legacy Center is a not for profit foundation that is being designed to be an iconic landmark in Glengarriff, in the heart of West Cork in Ireland.

You can call Nicola Parish at (718) 369-7760 or email nicola@parishpr.com for more information.

The other event that I went to was sponsored by Tourism Ireland and The American Irish Historical Society who held a press launch for "A Terrible Beauty" which was to present the Francis Bacon Centenary Exhibition that is at the Dublin City Gallery in The Hugh Lane from October 28 and which goes on until March 2010.

So when you're taking a trip to Dublin make sure to call in to see this magnificent art exhibition from the great late artist Francis Bacon and to see some of his wonderful work that was only recently discovered.

John Duddy, the 'Derry Destroyer'  is fighting at Madison Square Garden this Saturday (October 10) beginning at 8pm.

For more information call Larry Torres on (212) 631-5178. 

Finbar Furey comes from a unique pedigree - an all Ireland Uillean Pipe Champion and whistle player, singer/songwriter as well as playing 5-string banjo, and guitar. Finbar has been around the block many times with brother Eddie, recording for Transatlantic Records in the 60s and achieving fame with The Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur in the 80s.

Now he works solo, balancing his folk roots with his voice in songs such as 'New York Girls', which was his handlebar moustache swinging contribution to Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York... and he is playing at Nevada Smiths this Thursday night (October 8).

The show starts at 8pm  and supporting him will be the ever-green Enda Keegan who will be performing songs from his new CD, 'The Bridge'.

For more information on tickets please call (212) 982-2591, extension 11.

See you all next week.