Built between 1799 and 1809 by Ezra Weeks, Gracie Mansion is the mayoral residence in New York, and it’s likely that Irish builders, artisans, and tradespeople were numerous among the construction team, and the ballroom’s chandelier is Irish crystal, donated to the house by the descendants of William Russell Grace, the city’s first Catholic mayor, who was born in 1832 in County … [Read more...] about Surprising Irish Links in NYC’s Mayoral Mansion
New York City
The Long Shadow of 9/11
Ongoing health conditions, ranging from cancer to pulmonary diseases, caused by working at Ground Zero cast a shadow on celebrations of FDNY’s 150th Year. Ladder 123 is located on a gritty stretch of St. John’s Place off of Schenectady Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Ladder 123 shares quarters with Engine 234 as well as Battalion 38, and back in May, the … [Read more...] about The Long Shadow of 9/11
DruidShakespeare Comes to America
Galway’s Druid Theatre Company comes to Lincoln Center in New York this July with DruidShakespeare: The History Plays. Penned by Mark O’Rowe, the production pares down versions of the bard’s four plays about the English monarchy. The plays will be presented as a marathon theatrical experience, or in two consecutive installments by the Druid Ensemble, a “remarkable company,” … [Read more...] about DruidShakespeare Comes to America
Thousands Mourn
a Fallen Officer in Queens
Family members, friends, neighbors, and thousands of police officers from across the country, gathered at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford, New York, on Friday, May 8, to pay their last respects to NYPD officer Brian Moore, nearly a week after he was shot in the line of duty.
Moore, 25, who was part of the anti-crime unit of the 105th Precinct, was on duty in Queen’s … [Read more...] about Thousands Mourn
a Fallen Officer in Queens
The Long Green Line
In post-WWII New York City, my father worked as a supervisor in the city’s Department of Transportation at the traffic sign shop. The shop was responsible for the care and refurbishment of all signs posted to inform motorists and pedestrians of city traffic regulations and street conditions. The sign shop staff also took care of painting the streets themselves, including bus … [Read more...] about The Long Green Line