Out & About

Hello anybody is anybody still out there after the "HURRICANE" or did everyone head for the Sun in Florida?

Now, I know that the news channels love to over-hype everything and they certainly did this time; all their reporters were out looking for a story and could not get one.

It was like if you were down in Dingle, Co. Kerry on a rainy day and you forgot your wellington boots and you got wet; sure we have weather like that all the time in Ireland.

As we would say: "it's a bad day today Mikey, let's head to the pub and dry-up with a pint over the turf fire."

I'm not kidding, the whole of New York City was closed up... well, not all of it as we had a few good Irish bars open as we see this weather quite a lot back in Ireland.

Look I know the Mayor was doing his best for public safety and he was right, but before the next time he should send a team over to Ireland and check out how we cope with the bad weather - the rain, snow, frost and some sun now and then and maybe he'll learn a lot from us.

Langans on 47th Street was open for lunch and dinner during the "HURRICANE" though I am not too sure if Des O'Brien made it in as all trains were cancelled (now that would not happen in Tipperary would it?)

On a serious note we all got through it with out a scratch and are now back to business of letting you know what's happening Out and About.

There are lots of concerts and shows coming soon so I will tell you about a few of them this week.

Coming to the City Winery is Paul Brady. This singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is one of Ireland's most highly-regarded and successful artists, and the pre-eminent Irish singer-songwriter of his generation.

His versions of great ballads like Arthur McBride and The Lakes Of Pontchartrain were definitive and are still being asked for by audiences today.

Brady has spent his career crossing borders of style while holding fast to substance, developing a wide array of tunes that smartly traverse folk and rock over a span of more than 40 years.

A songwriter's songwriter if ever there was one, Paul Brady has amassed a body of work that stands comparison with that of either Van Morrison or Jackson Browne and has seen his work covered by artists as diverse as Bonnie Raitt, Lucy Kaplansky, Tina Turner, Cher and Carlos Santana.

The City Winery is at 155 Varick Street in New York City, there number's (212) 608-0555.

Paul Brady will be performing with Diana Jones on Saturday September 24th with the venue open for seating at 6pm and the show beginning at 9pm.

Tickets cost $35 for bar stool seats, $45 for reserved tables and $50 for reserved best tables and VIP tables.

The Irish Film New York festival is a new screening series that will be held at NYU's Cantor Film Center from September 30th to October 3rd.

The aim of the series is to help Irish film and Irish filmmakers make their way in the US.

The main focus of the programing will be on contemporary Irish cinema but the festival will also feature historical material provided by the Irish Film Archive. 

Irish Film New York is supported by NYU's Glucksman Ireland House, The Irish Film Board and the Irish Film Institute and curated by Niall McKay, the founder and director of the San Francisco Irish Film Festival.

Glucksman Ireland House members and NYU students receive free admission to all events unless otherwise noted and discounts to all other ticketed events. 

Become a member and join them this fall, and enjoy the many other benefits of membership. 

You can now join or renew online, by mail, or by phone at (212) 998-3950, extension zero.

On Thursday, September 8th at 7pm there'll be a commemoration of September 11th with Irish-American journalist and 9/11 eyewitness Thomas Flynn reading from Bikeman, his epic poem about the attacks on the World Trade Center.

He is joined by NYU Irish Studies Professor Linda Dowling Almeida who debuts the podcast, "That Forever September Morning: Memories of 9/11," featuring sixteen interviews from the Glucksman Ireland House NYU Oral History of Irish America Project.

The GOAL NYC Ball is taking place on Friday, November 11th at Gotham Hall in New York from 7:30pm.

The evening will begin with a Champagne and hors d'œuvre reception, followed by food, dancing and plenty of entertainment.

All proceeds raised on the night will go towards GOAL's projects for the poor in the developing world.

Please contact info@goalusa.org or call (212) 831-7420 to book your ticket or table.

The  Wee Craic Festival of short films and music is happening for one night only at the Tribeca Cinema (54 Varick Street (off Canal Street))  at starting 7pm with a special performance by Mark Geary.

At 7.45pm the short films will be shown and between 8.30pm and 10.30pm there's a Tullamore Dew & Stella Artois open bar; I like that!

For advance tickets visit ticketweb.com or go to the craicfest.com for more information.

See you all next week...