New York street corner named in memory of Tubbercurry native whose iconic restaurant became a pearl of Manhattan
A SLIGO native has been honoured by having a street corner in New York named after him.
The East 57th and First Avenue intersection as of last Wednesday is now known as Jimmy Neary Way, in memory of the businessman who ran a highly successful restaurant in nearby Sutton Place for more than 50 years.
The naming ceremony took place on Wednesday of last week with hundreds of attendees, including current New York Mayor Eric Adams, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York.
Also in attendance was New York congresswoman Julie Menin, who sponsored the resolution allowing for the renaming of the street corner which was formally passed this summer. Like many of Neary's long-list of distinguished visitors over the years, the congresswoman and her father Robert were frequent visitors to the restauarant.
“Jimmy is an icon for the Irish community. You always felt better walking out, than when you walked in,” she said.
Speaking after the ceremony, Mayor Eric Adams said: “In our city, we celebrate our own. Today (Wednesday September 14), we unveiled the new Jimmy Neary Way near Jimmy Neary’s namesake restaurant.
“Jimmy lived the American dream. He came here from Ireland and became an NYC institution. His customers came for the food but stayed for the man.”
Prominent television presenter and Neary’s regular Kathie Lee Gifford also expressed her delight at the city’s decision to honour Jimmy Neary.
“Today my beloved friend, Jimmy Neary, will be honored on what would be his 92nd birthday by having the street corner at 57th and 1st named Jimmy Neary Way. I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of this honor. I send my love to the Neary family on this very special day.”
Bill Bratton, the former New York City police commissioner said: “An Irish New Yorker beloved by his loyal customers and staff, Jimmy Neary’s smile always brighten your day as you enter Neary’s Restaurant. Great food, company and stories were his trademark. Jimmy was as iconic as the city he loved — and that now bears a street named in his honor.”
Jimmy Neary emigrated from Tubbercurry to New York on November 11, 1954, at the age of just 24.
Jimmy had worked for Eddie Gallagher in the town during his formative years. He started in his drapery store before eventually being given an opportunity work in his lounge bar, allowing a young Jimmy his first taste of the food and drink trade which he knew he always wanted to be a part of.
Jimmy spent a number of year's working at the New York Athletics Club and was also in the US Army for a spell before returning to the industry he loved best.
On St Patrick's Day in 1967, Jimmy realised his dream of owning his own restaurant when he opened Neary's in Manhattan.
In the 55 years since that day the restaurant has becoming a meeting a place for people from all walks of life as Jimmy promoted an atmosphere where political alignments are left at the door which was epitomised by prominent families from across the political spectrum – from the Roosevelts, to the Clintons to the Trumps, they have all happily dined there.
Jimmy also formed a strong friendship with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who frequented his establishment.
Such was their relationship that he not only brought Jimmy Neary home as part of an official trip to Sligo – he also arranged a surprise return to Tubbercurry where it seemed the entire community came out to greet the Carrentubber native.
He fanfare was the only thing unusual for Jimmy who never forgot his roots as he made an annual trip to Tubbercurry whenever he decided to take time out of his dedicated work schedule. In 55 years, Neary's doors have seldom been closed. Prior to a 14-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they only closed on Christmas Day.
As a result, there was a hardly ever a day when Jimmy wasn't hosting patrons with his warm, charismatic demeanor and stories to entertain one and all.
Jimmy passed on October 1, 2021 – just one day after working in his beloved restaurant at the age of 91.
If there was any doubt that Jimmy Neary very much lived the ‘American Dream’, then surely nothing sums it up better than the immigrant who arrived with nothing and worked for everything having a street named after him.
The new sign for the corner of East 57th and First Avenue.
Despite several warning signs at the entrance to Strandhill beach, there are concerns about the number of visitors who ignore them to enter the water which has tragically taken lives in the past.
MORE than 24 years after he lost his 16-year-old brother Bobby, who drowned along with friends Michael Higgins and Tommy Coyle at Strandhill, Councillor Paul Taylor says he fears there will be another drowning tragedy there.
Stressing that he hopes he is wrong to fear this might happen, Cllr Taylor said that after the tragedy in May 1998 which generated a great deal of publicity nationally and locally and created awareness of the threats posed by swimming at Strandhill, people were very aware of the dangers there. However, he also believes the passage of time may have caused that awareness to fade.
He told members of Sligo County Council he fears there is a generation of people now who are not aware of the the triple tragedy at Strandhill in May 1998:
“I think, however, there is a generation now who probably aren’t as aware of the dangers there,” he said. His comments came during a discussion on the needs for Sligo County Council to put further measures in place to prevent people from entering the sea to swim at beaches where swimming is prohibited.
Cllr Taylor said that while he appreciated his colleagues being restrained in their comments so as not to cause him any discomfort because his brother Bobby had drowned at Strandhill, he advised them not to worry about his feelings as the issue was too important. He told them not to be afraid to discuss the issue.
“It is a very important issue and has been for years. I know at the time of the tragedy with my brother and his friends we weren’t aware as a community [in Gurteen] where we came from of the dangers posed by the waters in Strandhill at the time. “I think there was a generation then, because of what happened, who became aware of those dangers,” he said.
He added: “It’s probably one of those things that will happen again. I hope I am wrong, but with the type
of weather we are having now, temperatures are rising and that all leads to more and more of that type of danger in our waters and ‘natural disasters’ for want of a better word. “It may well be time to put more of an emphasis on highlighting the dangers of the actual place [Strandhill] to swimmers or to families who are not experienced.
“We could look at putting some emphasis on that now because I feel if we don’t, we may be sorry in years to come,” he said.
His comments arose from a motion by Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady who said she was prompted by an experience she had at a west Sligo beach during the summer. While there with her grandchildren she had witnessed people totally ignoring red flag warnings and swimming in the sea despite being told conditions were dangerous for swimming.
She said she was at a loss as to what else they could do to inform people of the potential dangers of swimming and to heed warnings. “I will mention Strandhill, but it is not the only beach where I have seen so many people ignore the advice being given to them, not to go into the water.
“There’s flags, signs, lights and despite them all, people still go into the water,” she said.
Cllr Arthur Gibbons agreed, adding when these people get into difficulty someone else’s life is put in danger to go out and rescue them. “People seem to think they are invincible, that they can’t be hurt.”
Cllr Sineád Maguire said the wording of the motion to include the words “to prevent people from entering the sea at beaches where swimming is prohibited” should be included as people do enter the sea at Strandhill for suping (stand up paddling) and it is perfectly safe to do that.
She suggested the motion should be brought before the County Council’s Water Safety Forum which has been established specifically to look at water safety all around County Sligo.
She agreed with Cllr O’Grady’s comments that “there was just no telling some people”.
She said there were many stories of people trying to advise people not to enter the water, unfortunately being met with aggression and frustration and “dismissed more often than not”.
Cllr Donal Gilroy said there was a big issue with people ignoring the advice and warnings at Strandhill. He added: “Putting barbed wire across the whole bay is the only way you would be able to stop the utter stupidity [of some people] at this stage.”
Cllr O’Grady’s amended motion that Sligo County council look at putting further measures in place to prevent people from entering the sea for swimming at beaches where swimming is prohibited was unanimously supported.
Cllr Paul Taylor.
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