The hectic schedule continued for the Timahoe Male Choir in New York on Sunday as they played two more gigs in Irish pubs in the city.
Sunday wasn’t as demanding a day as Saturday had been but a large group did take the opportunity to attend mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral where their Fr David Vard – their good friend, fellow choir member and parish priest back home – was one of the co-concelebrants.
First up was Phebe’s Tavern in the Bowery District where the owner is Sean Michael Manley from Portarlington who has been out here for the past 13 years.
Sean Michael, whose family owned the Pint O’Port pub in Portarlington for many years, is no stranger to the pub trade. He has recently taken a share in Phebe’s Tavern which is close to the New York University campus and is essentially a student bar through the college year.
A former Laois minor and U-21 footballer, and All Ireland schools winner with Colaiste Iosagain, he was proudly wearing a Portarlington GAA t-shirt as he welcomed the Laois entourage.
Fellow Portarlington man Diarmuid Bennett, who is now based over here too, regularly does shifts behind the bar for him.
The Timahoe lads once again turned on the charm for their willing audience who take no time to lap up their now familiar classics.
Among the crowd were Timahoe women Siobhan Delaney and Grainne O’Connor as well as Fiona Conroy from Portlaoise, all of whom had earlier in the day had run the New York half marathon.
The girls are keen to point out that they had they had their trip booked long before the choir had become a global sensation.
Also back in a supporting capacity are Catherine, Brid and Claire Walsh from Ballyroan whose dad Jim is in the choir.
Eoin Delaney from Crettyard rocks up again too while we also encounter big Paddy ‘Blocker’ Phelan from Rathdowney who has been based in New York for the past couple of years now after an incredible 18-year spell in Sydney in Australia where he was a real Mr Community for the Irish.
As well as that we meet Edel Fitzgerald from the Green Road in Abbeyleix who has been living in Yonkers in New York for 13 years now. She’s with her friend, Eilis Delahunty from Lisdowney, just across the Kilkenny border who has been here 23 years.
Eilis has relatives in Spink, including IFA president Francie Gorman.
After entertaining Phebe’s Tavern, the group make the short trip around the corner to McSorley’s Old Irish Ale House, where Shane Buggy from Crettyard welcomes them with open arms.
They duly banged out even more tunes there.
McSorley’s is a particularly quaint establishment and the oldest Irish pub in New York.
There’s saw dust on the floor, no TVs, it’s a treasure trove of historical artefacts, serves only its own ales and Buggy has an encyclopaedic knowledge of its history.
We’ll have a podcast interview with Shane to bring you at a later date but for now you can check out some of Paul Dargan’s photos from Sunday below.
SEE ALSO – Check out all our St Patrick’s weekend coverage from New York
