Out & About

Why am I bringing them up in Out & About? Well, Davy Jones, the band's lead singer from the 60s and 70s top selling group, played at the Galway Hooker on 36th Street this Monday night to a packed audience, myself included, and we had lots of fun as you can imagine.

Unsurprisingly, he had the crowd singing to all the hits as this group sold over 50 million records worldwide.

Many thanks to Niamh, Donal and all the gang for making this a memorable night with almost every bar owner in the city at the show. Good on yea lads.

Terence Mulligan, yes the same man who does the very successful Craic Festival every year is holding a Craic Trad Night and Christmas Party this Wednesday (December 1st) at The Knife N Fork Restaurant & Bar (at East 13th Street and Avenue A).

The evening runs from 8-9:30pm with Niall O'Leary and Friends performing on a special night that is sponsored by Sierra Nevada. Admission is free though there is a suggested $10 donation on the door. For more information phone (917) 805-3100, fax (718) 237-8267, visit thecraicfest.com or e-mail terence@thecraicfest.com

Well, look who is coming to the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Hall (297 Willis Avenue in Mineola)... only The Dublin City Ramblers who are doing a special show - the Christmas in Ireland Concert - on Sunday December 5th beginning at 6pm.

Now, tickets in advance are only $25 and tickets on the door are $30. As usual, coffee, tea and soda bread will be served and, yes, the bar will be open for your pleasure... great!

This evening promises to bring the audience the Yuletide party experience as if you were sitting in a friend's home in Ireland at Christmas time

This has me crying already; it's lucky the bar will be open... For more information you can call Betty McLoughlin on (516) 746-9392 or e-mail irishamericansocietyny@gmail.com.

The Adrian Flannelly Show features the voices of Ireland and Irish America amd for the last 40 years has been bringing you the best music, news, views, interviews, sports, chat and commentary. How does he do it? Well, since he's still looking so good it must be all the water he drinks? I must check that out sometime...

Anyway on last Saturday's show, his guests included Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport who opened the first formal meeting of the North American members of the Global Irish Network.

She also launched Dublin Unesco City of Literature and Dublin Contemporary 2011 in New York last week.

In addition, Consul General of Ireland in New York, Noel Kilkenny reported on the current financial crisis in Ireland, ha! Is that something? He also discussed Irish America and the role of the Government of Ireland in the U.S, now what would that be?

The show is on WVNJ 1160AM from 10am until 12 noon and you can tune in or log on and stream it live or listen to archived shows at www.irishradio.com

Appearing soon at Glucksman Ireland House NYU are Kevin Barry, Clare Kilroy and Paul Murray who will be reading from their work on Thursday, December 2nd at 7pm.

Kevin Barry was born in Limerick in 1969 and now lives in Dublin. He writes sketches and columns for the Sunday Herald in Glasgow and The Irish Examiner in Cork.

He has written about travel and literature for The Guardian, The Irish Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and many other publications.

He was awarded the 2007 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature for There Are Little Kingdoms.

Claire Kilroy was born in Dublin in 1973. Her novels are All Summer (London, Faber & Faber 2003); Tenderwire (Faber & Faber 2006/New York, Harvest Books 2006); and All Names Have Been Changed (Faber, 2009).

All Summer won the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and was shortlisted for the 2004 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award.

Paul Murray is the author of An Evening of Long Goodbyes, which was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award in 2003 and is published by Penguin.

Longlisted for the 2010 Man Booker Prize, Skippy Dies was described as "extravagantly entertaining," by The New York Times.

The event is free to members of Glucksman Ireland House and to all students or faculty with a valid NYU I.D. card.

For non-members there is a $10 donation at the door. In order to ensure a seat at events, please RSVP to (212) 998-3950 (option 3) or email ireland.house@nyu.edu.

To all thebar owners out there: The United Restaurant & Tavern Owners of New York, Inc. - the premier organization of the hospitality industry that raises the volume of your voice to a roar - will hold its 73rd Annual Dinner Dance on Thursday, December 2nd at Pasha The Riverside Church (120th Street and Riverside)

The cocktail hour begins at 6:30pm with dinner following at 8:00 p.m. Come along and dine and dance with the finest people in the hospitality industry! For information on how to obtain tickets, please call the URTO office at (212) 557-5200, or e-mail them at maureen@urandto.com. All are welcome.

Last week we were at the Consulate General of Ireland at the invitation of the Consul General of Ireland Mr. Noel Kilkenny and Ms. Hanora O'Dea Kilkenny for a reception to launch 'Fifth Province: County Societies in Irish America' an exhibition celebrating the Irish County Societies in America, in association with New York University's Glucksman Ireland House and the United Irish Counties Association of New York, which is headed up by our own Joe McManus, the President of the United Counties who is doing a great job in bring all the counties together, good on yea Joe.

Last, but not least, at the Perfect Pint Times Square (West 45th Street, between 6th Avenue an Broadway) last Wednesday (November 17th) they launched the Irish Pubs Global Social Event for all Irish pub owners and managers, their service providers and key industry figures featuring a private website launch and exciting announcements that will benefit all in the bar and restaurant business.

Do we need more information.. ? Maybe we do. For more information call (646) 600-1672 or eoin@irishpubsglobal.com

In case you missed last weeks edition of Out & About, we'd just like to remind you that the NYPD Finest Gaelic Football Club has chosen Paul Hurley of Dublin Ireland as its Heritage Award recipient.

Paul has been a member of the NYPD Gaelic football club for many years and has also served on the board of officers.

Paul immigrated to the United States in 1985 and brought with him his families traditional Irish values. Paul has played Gaelic football in the minors and later in college and is currently an active member of the New York Dublin football club.

Promoting GAA games at his business establishments along with Irish music and arts, Paul continues to preserve Irish tradition.

He's also traveled to Ireland in support of NYPD Gaelic football games during international matches.

The Finest Gaelic football club's motto is "Keeping the Heritage Alive" a message that Paul has lived by here in New York since his arrival.

Congratulations Paul on being named the NYPD Gaelic Football Heritage Award recipient.

He'll be honored on December 11th at the Manhattan Club (located on Seventh Ave and West 52nd Street in Manhattan).

If you're interested in attending, please contact Detective Luke Waters, NYPD at (917) 693-0985.

Finally, The Tipperary Hurling Club of New York will be holding their Annual Dinner Dance on December 11th at Lake Isle Country Club (in Eastchester).

For reservations call (914) 899-3130... I'm just hoping that this will keep Therese Crowe happy.

See you all next week.