For the past few weeks I have been back in Rockville Centre, New York. It’s difficult to believe but it is twenty-five years since I came here first; that time to St Patrick’s Parish in Huntington. I went there for two years and then started to come to the Cathdral of St Agnes in Rockville Centre. With the exception of the dreaded “Covid” years, I have been here every year since 1999. I stay here for three weekends and supply cover where needed. Some people refer to it as a “busman’s holiday” but I really enjoy being here. I enjoy the different setting for a few weeks and especially enjoy getting to visit with people I know from home and others that I have met through coming here.
I travelled to Washington DC by train and was met there by two people I met on my first visit here, back in 1997; Corky and Jeannie Korves. They have become dear friends and proved the depth of that friendship by many repeated kindnesses through the years. Recently they moved to a new home and I had the chance to visit them there, spend a night and enjoy their companay. That evening included dinner with their son Chris and his family who live not too far from them. Chris’ daughter, Maeve, baked a beautiful cake because, as I was to find out that night, it was “International Chocolate Day”. How could I have known!!
The next day I travelled with Corky and Jeannie to Richmond where we went to Mary Margaret’s home. It was great to see her and to meet Susan who spends some time with Mary Margaret during the week. We celebrated Mass together in the house and then went for lunch to a wonderful restuarant called “The Can Can” and we did did!!
I spent the evening with Mary Margaret and we chatted and remembered. She is very good at both! The next day, I caught the train back to New York. A long journey enough, of more than six hours. It was great to be able to do it.
On returning to New York I found myself in a new part of Penn Station. It is called Moynihan Hall and was opened in January 2021. It is named after an Irish American Senator and is a fine building. It has been many years in the planning and will, quite likely this year, mean that trains can travel from Long Island (LIRR) directly to Grand Central Station. This will be a major advantage to people and I look forward to travelling that route next year, please God.
I was in Crestwood where I met a Mullaghroe woman, Noelle McEnerney (McLoughlin) and her daughter and son. Her husband Tom was away at work so did not meet him but might yet! Noelle and her daugher Niamh took me to a lovely park, close to them and we spent some time there. The park features the Untermyer Gardens and is in Yonkers. We had a lovely walk there and I was very happy to have been able to visit. Again, Noelle is someone that I have managed to visit every year since I started coming here and it is always a good experience.
Later in the day, Noelle dropped me to the home of other friends; Carrie, Guillermo and Beatrice. Carrie is daughter of Jeannie and Corky and again I met her on my first visit here in 1997.
We had dinner, chatted for a while and I headed back to “The Island”
This is thr Cathedral at Rockville Centre where I spent most of my time. There are numerous Masses here every day (6.30am, 7.45am, 9.00am and 12.10pm) as well as weddings and funerals. At the weekend there are two vigil Masses in the Cathedral (one in Spanish) and one in the Parish Centre with Masses on Sunday at 7.00am, 8.00am, 9.30am, 11.00am, 12.30pm and 5.00pm. A busy place! I celebrate some of these Masses and it is a lovely experience. I am amazed by the attendance at the Masses. The daily Masses would each have at least 100 people in attendance and many times that at the weekend Masses. My first Sunday here, I met a couple outside and the young woman asked me what part of Ireland I am from – “Sligo”, I replied. “Me too,” she said, “I am from Tubbercurry”!! This year, in addition, to the regular Masses, I celebrated a Funeral Mass and a wedding.
I met Tony Hunt, a classmate from St Nathy’s during the week. We had met a few weeks ago at our Class Reunion in Ballaghaderreen and he said he would be in New York for a meeting and that we might get together. I am glad of that and enjoyed the conversation and sharing memories. Later that night, I met Denis Matthews, another friend from Maynooth days and we had dinner. I meet Denis each year and, once again, am always glad to connect with him.
This year, I met someone I had not met before. This came about because last October a man died in New York and I was asked to pray for him at Mass in Tubbercurry. His name is Jimmy Neary and he came from Tubbercurry. As a young man he emigrated, like countless others, and ended up working in a restaurant and eventually owning his own – Nearys on 57th Street. I watched his Funeral Mass on line. It was celebated by Cardinal Dolan a friend of Jimmy’s and a regular in his restaurant. Fifth Avenue was closed for the funeral procession and it was obvious that Jimmy was held in high regard by many. A few weeks ago, after Morning Mass in Cloonacool, Mattie Brennan told me that a street had been renamed in Jimmy’s memory. I decided to go there, take a picture and have it for Mattie when I would go home. I looked up the restaurant on line to get the address and decided to send a quick email to Jimmy’s daughter, Una. She replied immediately and invited me for dinner in the restaurant. I told her that was not my intention and she replied “I know, but it is mine!” I went to the street and took some photos but did not go in on that occasion. I returned there a few evenings later and met Una, a joy to meet. She has such a clear grasp of her father’s Tubbercurry and spent most of her summers there as a child. The restaurant was lovely, homely and very Irish.
As I left Neary’s, Una asked me how I was getting to Penn Station. I told her I would walk and she said to be careful. I pointed out that every street corner was swarmed with Police (UN meeting on in NY these days) and she said “You are right, there could not be a better night to walk!” I did and clocked up nearly 25000 steps that day – from the walk in New York and an earlier visit to the boardwalk at Jones’ Beach with Noelle McEnerny and her sister Kay Breen. My best walking day ever but I did have the pork chops in Nearys!!
A few days to go …. a few more to meet and maybe a few more lines for here.
Thanks for reading!