NIGHTLIGHT: Sober St. Patrick's Day March 17, 2012 Highlighted by Malachy McCourt, the Mulvihill-Lynch Irish Dancers, Tara Conner and Many More Hosted by George Heslin. Brilliant Execution, Maura Kelly!
You might be wondering what a person with a cocktail named after her is doing at a sober St. Patrick's day party, but believe it or not, Peachy Deegan only drinks in moderation. We do not like the stereotype of Irish people being known for drinking in excess, so we were honored to cover the first Sober St. Patrick's Day event which was a classy contrast to some of the unfortunate behavior we later saw on second avenue... We were absolutely thrilled to meet our new friend Malachy McCourt, above, and absolutely loved his book A Monk Swimming ages ago when Peachy read it in her Boston days. Now that we actually review books we ought to review everything his talent has put a pen to and he tells us there are eight books in total now.
Here is our coverage of the parade itself:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2012/03/daylight-st-patricks-day-parade-in-new.html
Here is our coverage of the parade itself:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2012/03/daylight-st-patricks-day-parade-in-new.html
We believe this is the John Whelan band!
They sound great.
Check out the sweet steps of the Mulvihill/Lynch School of Dancing.
Tara Conner, Former USA speaks.
The Honorary Committee
(Still in formation)
NOEL KILKENNY, Irish Consul General in New York
FIONNULA FLANAGAN, award-winning actress
DR. GARRET O’CONNOR, addiction psychiatrist
MALACHY McCOURT, writer and actor
WILLIAM MOYERS, author and recovery specialist
ROBERT LINDSEY, President & CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
SIS WENGER, President & CEO of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, (NACoA)
TOM DOOLAN, Irish music specialist.
BOB DONNELLY, noted NY music attorney
WM. SPENCER REILLY, Founder/Producer “Sober St. Patrick’s Day”
“Sober St. Patrick’s Day” was created by William Spencer Reilly, who almost lost a member of his family to addiction seven years ago. Mr. Reilly is a television executive and special events producer who was born and raised in New York City.
Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, he approached the Caron Treatment Center in New York and NCADD to pitch his idea for the first annual “Sober St. Patrick’s Day” event to be held on March 17th, 2012. He has spent the last year developing this idea with them and others, as many New Yorkers in recovery have long since abandoned the festivities surrounding St. Patrick’s Day. People not in recovery also expressed great interest in attending. Over the summer, he approached a media colleague, Maura Kelly, who has produced a wide range of programs for PBS, including specials on addiction, to help him produce this year’s event. Ms Kelly introduced Mr Reilly to key members in the Irish and Irish American community, including Noel Kilkenny, Consul General of Ireland, and Peter Ryan, Deputy Consul General. Both immediately expressed interest in helping launch “Sober St. Patrick’s Day" for 2012.
Thanks to the additional efforts of Todd Whitmer, VP of the Caron Treatment Centers (New York), Robert Lindsey, President of NCADD (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence), Sis Wenger, President of NACoA (National Association for Children of Alcoholics), John T. Evans, Esq. of the William C. Dowling Jr. Foundation, and Consul General Kilkenny, Mr. Reilly was able to bring together a large cross section of treatment centers, national recovery organizations and individual donors to fund this year’s event.
Kindly visit the “Sponsors” page on this website for a complete listing of all of these important organizations and individuals. Their logos also appear at the bottom of every page of this website.
Noel Kilkenny, Consul General of Ireland, recently said, "When I was growing up in Ireland, I remember distinctly that all the pubs were closed on St. Patrick's Day. We really respected it as a special day. l really like the idea of having a special event on this holiday for Americans of Irish heritage who are in recovery from alcoholism, to celebrate our shared heritage in a safe and inclusive environment."
