The non-profit organization North Brooklyn Angels, that prepares fresh and healthy meals for the hungry, is hosting its first annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors Luncheon on Wed. March 27th, at 12 p.m. at Warsaw (261 Driggs Ave.); tickets are available here.
A total of nine affordable apartments in Williamsburg are now available via the affordable housing lottery at NYC Housing Connect.
At Ainslie Tower (467 Keap St.) there are three affordable apartments accepting applications through April 3rd. A one-bedroom apartment is $1,058 per month for one to two people with an annual household income between $36,275 – $43,860. Three two-bedroom units are $1,280 per month for two to four people with an annual household income between $43,886 to $50,100.
Greenpoints’ Petland Discounts (846 Manhattan Ave.) is shutting down on Tuesday, March 19th, along with the closure of Petland retail stores across New York state, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
The announcement of the closures came just a few days after the passing of Petland founder, Neil Padron, Newsday reports.
The Brentwood, Long Island-based company has 78 stores in the tri-state region (18 in Brooklyn) with over 360 employees and was founded approximately 54 years ago in 1965.
The Manhattan Avenue store had many items remaining as of Friday afternoon and the store is offering discounts on select items. Continue reading
The environmentally focused non-profit organization GrowNYC is hosting a “Stop ‘N’ Swap” on Saturday, March 16th, at the Williamsburg Community Center (195 Graham Ave.) from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Attendees can bring their unwanted housewares and clothes (see below) to donate and exchange for other items; from GrowNYC:
Bring clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, housewares, games, books, & toys that you no longer need, and take home something new-to-you, free! You don’t have to bring something to take something.
Please do NOT bring: furniture, large items, tube televisions, expired or open food, unsealed personal care products, medicine, dirty or ripped clothing, fabric scraps, incomplete toys and games, non-working electronics, magazines, or sharp objects.
A homemade anchor that was first reported to be a sea mine was discovered in Newtown Creek on Friday afternoon causing street closures, NBCNY reports. Sea mines are bombs used to sink and destroy ships and submarines; to prevent injuries, surrounding streets including the Metropolitan Avenue Bridge were shut down during the two-hour investigation.
FDNY was notified of a possible explosive device in Newtown Creek near Grand Street on Friday around 1 p.m. and a bomb containment squad was dispatched to the scene, according to NBCNY. Continue reading
This SUNDAY (March 17), 13 bars along Grand Street celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 29 drink specials and free food. This 8th edition of the Grand Street Business Improvement District annual Pub Crawl makes your Sunday Funday easy – walk or stumble along just 6 blocks to eat and drink to your lucky charm’s desire.
Offers include $5 shots of Jameson Caskmates at Crystal Lake, $7 Irish Margaritas at Los Tacos McOndo, $5 grilled cheese at Noorman’s Kil, and $5 beer and shot combos at Redd’s Tavern. Free food will also be available at Dar 525, a free pizza with the purchase of a draft beer; Bushwick Country Club, free BBQ; and Thompson Brooke will have free Irish snacks. Continue reading
Most people associate Greenpoint with the Polish community, but our area has a long and deep connection to Ireland. Let’s answer a few questions to prepare you fully to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day locally.
1) When, how and why did the Irish come to Greenpoint?
Greenpoint really began to be a community in the 1850s, just after the Irish famine devastated the country. Already in 1855 a third of the local residents were Irish. The Irish dominated the local waterfront. The McAllister family from Cushendall, Co. Antrim started a tugboat and lighter fleet and brought over many family members and neighbors from Northern Ireland and many Greenpoint Irish families have Cushendall roots. By the 1880s The Irish were a large and growing presence in the area.
2) What local places have Irish associations?
Perhaps it is better to ask what places do not? McGolrick Park was named for local parish priest Monseigneur Edward McGolrick who was born in Donegal and rebuilt St. Cecelia’s Church. McCarren Park was named for Irish-American State Senator Patrick McCarren. McGuinness Boulevard was named for Peter J. McGuinness the politician who popularized Greenpoint’s nickname “ The Garden Spot” and brought the area the McCarren Park pool and the G Train.
3) What local Irish pub are around to celebrate in?
Sadly we lost Shayz Lounge, which was run by two Dubliners. Connie O’s on Norman Avenue is the last real Irish-American Greenpoint bar. The Capri Lounge, once known as Murphy’s, resurrects its Irish past and throws a great party with many locally born Irish- Americans. The Palace bar was for many years run by an Irish-American family. Derry man Stevie Howlett at Lake Street gives an Irish aura to the Minnesota bar on Manhattan Avenue.
4) Did Any Irish Greenpointers affect Ireland?
Yes and how! Thomas Clarke who lived at 175 Russell St. returned to Ireland and took part in the Easter Rising. He formally declared the existence of the Irish Republic before he was captured and shot by the British. He and his wife are honored heroes in Ireland.
5) Which Irish Greenpointer became a local icon? Continue reading
Starting this Friday, March 15th through Sunday, March 24th, feast at over 15 local restaurants while supporting a local cause! Whether you want to help abused and abandoned animals find their forever homes or support early childhood education & more, “Dine and Donate” makes it easy – All you have to do is eat delicious meals for a discount!
The deets: Go to a participating restaurant and pay using the Cinch app. 10% of your bill will go to a local non-profit and you will also get 10% or more off their bill. Not a Cinch user yet? Download the Cinch App here
Oh and if you are snapping shots of your meals “for the gram” no judgment here cuz Cinch is also donating an extra $5 every time you share your experience and tag @cinchwallet + the restaurant you ate in or the non-profit you donated to. Be selfie to be selfless, y’all. Continue reading
A Ruth Bader Ginsburg poster was vandalized in Greenpoint on Tuesday inside the Nassau Avenue G subway station with the words “Die Jew Bitch” along with a drawing of a swastika.
Seen at the Nassau Ave stop on the G train. What is going to be done about this? @NYCTSubway @NYPDONeill @NYPDnews @MTA @NYCMayor @NYCMayorsOffice @JumaaneWilliams @nyc311 @BPEricAdams @NYGovCuomo pic.twitter.com/wecmY5Npnp
— Chevi Friedman (@Chevi_F) March 13, 2019
The hate graffiti quickly drew condemnation from Mayor de Blasio who is asking for public assistance in identifying the person responsible:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg represents the very best of our city.
We’ll find whoever is responsible for this anti-Semitic trash and ensure they face consequences for trying to spread hate in New York City. If you have any information on this despicable act, please contact the NYPD. https://t.co/qff5nV7OE1
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 13, 2019
It’s both Women’s History Month and the week before St. Patrick’s Day so it is totally fitting that we honor the most famous Irish woman who ever lived in Greenpoint- Kathleen Daly Clarke, who lived for many years on Russell Street and operated a candy shop on Nassau Avenue.
Like many women deserving of recognition, Kathleen is often overshadowed by her famous husband, the man who proclaimed the Irish Republic and was shot by the British after the failed Dublin rising of 1916, Thomas Clarke. Although Thomas Clarke was a dedicated revolutionary, he was only able to achieve what he did thanks to the emotional, intellectual, moral and financial support that Kathleen gave him.
Thomas Clarke arrived locally in the early 1880s from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone where he had become a fiery advocate of Irish political freedom and an enemy of British colonial rule of Ireland. He became involved in a local plot to bomb the British mainland led by Doctor Thomas Gallagher who practiced medicine on Manhattan Avenue. Clarke was arrested and sentenced to serve life for his crimes. He served fifteen years and the harsh conditions and psychological abuse broke Gallagher who lost his mind in prison.
While Clarke was in prison he befriended a County Limerick Irish Republican fighter named John Daly who would also be shot for his role in the 1916 revolt. Following his release in 1898, Clarke visited Daly and became enamored of Daly’s niece Kathleen who was twenty-one years his junior. Impressed more by his character and commitment to Irish freedom than his looks, Daly agreed to marry Clarke and in 1898 they moved to the United States.
