A capacity crowd gathered to support the center’s cultural programs and to pay tribute to the evening’s honoree, Mike Carty, owner of the landmark Big Apple restaurant Rosie O’Grady’s.
Arriving at the NYAC, I faced my first important decision of the night: the dilemma of which elevator to take upstairs. All of cars looked the same, save one that was designated for guests wearing athletic gear, bathrobes or bathing suits. (Talk about an interesting place to meet guys.) I inadvertently got off on the wrong floor, much to the bemusement of some old-school-ties types who looked askance at my sparkly silver purse and Viva Glam lipstick. I looked around in vain, hoping to see someone in a bathrobe (well, I had to get on the elevator) but no such luck — so, of course, my cell phone chose just that moment to ring. As I slapped at it in a vain attempt to shut it up, I noticed one old codger looking at me with the kind of disdain usually reserved for people who belch out the alphabet in church. Ah, well.
But enough of my misadventures. At least I didn’t wind up in the men’s room by mistake (as I did last year) or wind up stripping off an itchy sequinned top in the back of a taxi (don’t ask, and that was the year before). Lending star power to the event were Hollywood A-listers Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne, who are both major supporters of the Irish Arts Center. The stars circulated easily among the other guests, graciously posing for pictures, making small talk and laughing off smoldering glances from some of the female guests. (Oh, OK, we were guilty, too.) In some cases, the stars were pressed into service. We watched Liam get behind the camera (for a change) to take a picture of a group of revelers. Amusingly, as he was setting up the shot, no fewer than three women walked over to take the camera from him so he could get in the picture himself. He declined each time. We were charmed.
The hunky actors really worked the Hollywood mojo during the live auction part of the evening. A furious bidding war began for the evening’s big prize, dinner for four hosted by Liam and Gabriel. Whenever the bidding looked as though it were slowing down, the two stars flashed the winning smiles that melt the hearts of movie-going women all over the world, and the dollar amounts climbed anew. Eventually, bidding reached the $5,000 mark, and the excitement in the room was palpable. Who would win? How far would they go?
The two actors conferred briefly. With that kind of money at stake, and for such a good cause, there was only one thing they could do. They sent a message to the evening’s master or ceremonies and auctioneer, Eddie Brill.
“We have two winners!” he shouted. Liam and Gabriel have agreed to host two dinners! That’s $10,000 for the Arts Center!”
The crowd erupted in applause, and the two happy bidders, Sheila and Gene McCarthy and Mike Jewel of Ulysses Pub, started making plans for their respective evenings out.
After the gala, guests headed to Carty’s place, Rosie O’Grady’s Restaurant on 52nd Street, where the party continued into the wee hours. Despite repeated requests for Mike to demonstrate the winning form that made him a champion on the tin whistle during his teenage years, the host politely declined. But it was some some hooley, anyway.