‘Editorial From the ashes

Shane Moynagh is already rebuilding from the May 1 fire that consumed his business, Shane’s Bakery, and several other Woodside establishments. He promises "a fine store" when the work is done, which is good news to his many patrons from Queens and beyond.

Moynagh is a man of this word. When the Monday morning fire at Roosevelt Avenue and 61st Street destroyed what had taken him three years to build, Moynagh vowed to be back. He said at the time: "We will have to rebuild it; we would start today if they let us. As soon as they let me in, I’ll start. I’ll have a dumpster down here."

Woodside is a community that is both local and global, a vibrant mix of many cultures, of people working together and getting along. But of all the many influences, the Irish flavor remains strongest. Indeed, the vibrancy, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial acumen of many young Irish have come to the fore in recent years with a string of successful enterprises. Shane’s Bakery is but one example.

Now, in the aftermath of the blaze that, fortunately, took no lives, there remains charred and burned out buildings. We hope they will not remain that way for long, that the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 61st Street will soon bustle again with activity. And if the stores are Irish, all the better.