Out & About

Now I am wondering? Is she the president three or four times now... I thought it could be only two times or maybe they've changed the rules since she's is so popular. What chance would I have? I have to talk to the boss Mae O'Driscoll about it.

All jokes aside Mary, you're doing a splendid job though with Denis Forde looking over your shoulder you have to be on the ball as he watches your every move.

As I said in last week's Out & About, the County Cork Association are have their St. Patrick's Day Banquet on Saturday March 6th at Antun's (96-43 Springfield Blvd., Queen's Village). The cocktail hour will begin at 7pm with dinner to follow... As you can see, there's no set time as trying to leave the cocktail hour is hard John Browne and Deirdre O'Hea, well what more can I say? Oh yes, there's music and dancing to the Black Velvet Band. The County Cork Man of the Year is Donie Carroll from Douglas, Cork City and let me tell you this man is an all rounder; it's hard to keep up with him as I did last week and what I have heard is that he's heading for Broadway... sheeeee!

The Cork Women of the Year is Treasa Goodwin Smyth of Cobh, County Cork who is a twin, so I was not seeing things after a couple of cocktails the last time. Treasa is another all rounder who has played Camogie and was a Player of the Year and is a very well known radio and television personality both here and in Ireland. She is also married to the famous ESPN sports announcer Tommy Smyth (with a Y, not an I). Congratulations from all the staff here at The Irish Examiner newspaper.

We visited The Playwright (on 49th between Broadway and 7th Avenues) and we got to meet the proprietor Frank Dwyer and yes, we had a few cocktails with the people from Empire (who represent Bushmills Irish Whiskey) including Steven Hutchinson and Louis Posmantur (is he Irish, he certainly looks it!

When we left The Playwright we headed over to the ESPN Zone in Times Square and then the party began with a lot of well-known bar and restaurant owners who were treated to some Bushmills. I do not want to name them as they were suppose to be at a meeting, I know who you are.

When you're up around the Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) call in to the Hilton Hotel to say hello to a very good Dublinman Paul Gallen who is the Banqueting manager there. If you're arranging a function he is your man.

The IBO will be holding its networking breakfast at a new location on Tuesday January 26th - the Fitzpatrick Grand Manhattan Hotel (687 Lexington Avenue). I might be a little late for this announcement, well what can I say? Anyhow it only costs $20 for members and $25 for non-members. What about if you only have $20? Call Sheila Lynott on (212) 750-8118 or visit ibo-ny.com.

I'm sure you all know by now about the dreadful disaster in Haiti. Well yet again Concern Worldwide USA has stepped up to the plate to help out with their expertise and their volunteers. As you can see from their advert, the Irish Examiner newspaper is donating to this great cause.

Concern is headed up in the USA by a hard working team - most of them Irish - led by a lady I very much admire: Siobhan Walsh. Please contact them at Concern Worldwide US Inc, 104 East 40th Street, Suite 903, New York, NY 10016, by phone on (212) 557-8000 or visit them online at concernusa.org.

The Irish Arts Center and Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick will be presenting a chamber concert with the Irish World Academy Strings Academos at the New York Society for Ethical Culture Concert Hall (2 West 64th Street, at Central Park West) on Thursday February 4th and, guess what, admission is free. For reservations call (212) 757-3318.

Find out who's talking now, or at least every Saturday on The Adrian Flannelly Show. I have to give him a plug as he likes to see his name in print and he always have some very special guests like he had this week with Tom Arnold, the CEO of Concern Worldwide who had just returned from Haiti.

O'Donnell's Pub is at 233 Harrison Avenue, in Harrison, New Jersey. If you're nearby call in as it is the real Irish Pub, as they say in New Jersey, serving great beer with tastings every Wednesday and a Single Malt Whisky Tasting on Thursday nights at 8pm, don't miss it. I'll be calling in soon for pint.

Pick up a copy of the Green Apple Winter Diary 2010 that is being delivered to a lot restaurants in the City and has some great information on all things Irish in New York. It is sponsored by Tourism Ireland and Cultural Ireland and it's got some very good information on Irish theatre, concerts and arts events.

I discovered a great restaurant on the upper east side of Manhattan called Dresner's (on York Avenue between 78th & 79th Street) which is owned and operated by Dermot Kelly and Chef Golam and let me tell you, the food is really gorgeous. I should know as I had some along with the coffee man Pete Scalley. Gee that man is everywhere to. For reservations call (212) 988-5153.

See you all next week.