Out & About

Now down to business: Lillie's is the place to be every Saturday afternoon starting at 4pm since the cream of Irish talent congregate for the biggest Irish session in New York.

Lillie's is at 13 East 17th St.  Take any train that goes to 14th St./Union Square, walk halfway down West 17th St. towards 5th Avenue and you're there.  The session starts at 4pm and goes until 7pm. 

Daniel Neely leads the session and many different guests turn up, as did the great James Keane last week. This week it was Cillian Vallely, uilleann piper extraordinaire.  You may remember him from such Irish music albums as Lunasa's 'The Kinnitty Sessions' and 'On Common Ground', with Kevin Crawford.

The 2010 Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann North American Convention And Traditional Irish Music And Dance Weekend runs Thursday April 8th to Sunday April 11th at the Parsippany Hilton Hotel, Parsippany, New Jersey. 

All events are open to the public. There's a Ceilithe with Top Ceili Bands from New York and New Jersey running from Thursday to Sunday, Instrumental, Singing, Sean Nos Dancing and Irish Language Workshops (on Saturday, April 10); and Set Dancing Workshops (from Friday to Sunday) with Padraig and Roisin McEneany.

The workshop teachers include: John Daly, Eileen Gannon, Joanie Madden, Martin Donohoe, Mgr. Charlie Coen, Jesse Winch, Brendan Dolan, John Walsh, Michael O'Malley, Ivan Goff, Isaac Alderson, Siobhan O'Donoghue, Brian Glynn, P.J. Gannon, and Mattie Connolly.

The Maura Mulligan Gala Banquet and Ceili Mor will take place on Saturday April 10th (at $85 a ticket) and will include entertainment by GIRSA and the Pride of New York Ceili Band.

For information on the weekend program visit www.cceconvention2010.org or contact Tom Vesey (973) 977-8863, Frank McCormick (917) 612-8721 or Paul Keating (201) 722-0059.

Now where would you get a whole weekend of Irish entertainment and I've heard thru the grapevine that Eamonn O'Loghlin is coming down from Toronto for the event; now that could be dangerous believe me, that's all I can say.

On Saturday, April 24th, the National Irish Freedom Committee will have their Annual Dinner  at Connolly's (on West 45th St.).

The 15th Annual Michael Flannery Testimonial Awards Dinner will be held on Saturday April 24th from 6pm to 9pm at Connolly's Pub & Restaurant (121 West   45th Street).  This event, organized by Cumann Na Saoirse Náisiúnta, honors Irish Americans and others for their contributions to the promotion of Irish history, culture, traditional Irish Republican principles, human rights and Irish freedom.  The theme of this year's dinner is Countdown to 2016: the Centenary of the Easter Rising). Connolly's is conveniently located in the heart of Times Square and is accessible by public transportation. 

This event includes three hours of top shelf open bar with hot appetizers followed by a buffet dinner with dessert, coffee and tea.

The Honorees for the 2010 Awards are: Barney Mulligan:  Recipient of the 2010 Michael Flannery Spirit of Freedom Award;   Msgr. Kevin Flanagan:  Recipient of the 2010 Sr. Sarah Clarke Human Rights Award; and  Timothy Myles:  The first recipient of the 2016 Centennial Award - The James Connolly Labour Award.

Timmy, as he is known throughout the Ancient Order of Hibernians, has been a supporter of Irish reunification all his life. If you lose anything in Penn Station look for Timmy... just kidding!

Tickets for the 2010 Testimonial Dinner are $80.00 per person.

For ticket information, please contact Mary at (732) 441-9923 or via email at: mc5869@yahoo.com.

Mike Glynn who I first met when I landed in the United States in 1982 was the Irish Tony Curtis of the time and now he running P.D. O'Hurley's West End and Pier 84 P.D. O'Hurley's; yes, the same one that's next door to the Intrepid Air And Space Museum where, hopefully, NASA will be retiring one of their Space Shuttles. Now that would be one great tourist attraction... location, location, location... Paul Hurley has done it again.

I paid a visit to the new Pig'n'Whistle again last week and got to meet John Mahon and Des O'Brien who looked very happy with the great start the new bar has got. I have to say that it looks to get even bigger.

I also called in to see Pat Herity at the new Ashton's Alley that is located at 215 East 50th Street ((212)688-8625) and it was bustling - even Pat  and his wife were running around to make sure that everything was going perfect with the service and making sure that everything was tip top. Where was Bernard Scully? Oh, I forgot, he works during the day and he must be happy to be back at work while they were getting the place ready. Good on you Pat, it's a great place and all I can say is the best of luck.

See you all next week!