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Introduction to Tommy White: The episode introduces Tommy White as a long-time friend of the host, with a friendship spanning over 30 years, originating from their time in a FDNY Bagpipe Band where Tommy was the chairman around 1994.

• Irish Heritage and Family History:
  • Tommy delves into his strong Irish roots, noting that all four of his grandparents immigrated from Ireland independently and later met in the States.
  • He shares anecdotes about his maternal grandparents, who, despite meeting in the U.S., were from neighboring towns just outside Killarney and likely met at a Kerry dance.
  • His paternal grandparents also hailed from adjoining counties in Ireland (Offaly and Westmeath) and met after immigrating.
  • Tommy's mother was born in the U.S. but grew up in Ireland, returning before high school to settle in the Bronx.
  • His paternal grandfather, Chris White, was a decorated World War I hero who fought as an American and later owned a string of successful restaurants and a speakeasy in Manhattan, including Whit's Cafe where Kennedy's now stands.
  • A tragic family story is recounted about his great-uncle, John White, who was shot and killed in his bar during a confrontation.
  • Another poignant story involves Tommy's great-grandmother's grandfather, a Civil War veteran who was also shot and killed for his wallet after church, with his family later formally forgiving his killer.
  • Tommy mentions restoring an old famine-era cottage with a cousin in Ireland and the ongoing research into his family tree, including a possible ancestor who was a Brooklyn fireman during the Great Blizzard of '88.
  • He also shares a harrowing family story about his maternal grandfather's brother, who, along with his track gang, was tragically killed by a train while on a de-energized track.
  • A close call for his grandfather, who avoided a fatal train derailment by stopping to buy a turkey on his way home from work.
  • The White family is believed to be descendants of St. Oliver Plunkett.
• Personal Experiences and Connections to Ireland:
  • Tommy describes his upbringing in an "absolutely Irish" household, filled with Irish music.
  • He notes that his connection to his Irish heritage has remained consistently strong throughout his life.
  • His first trip to Ireland was in his early to mid-twenties, with the bagpipe band.
  • He discusses how he re-established connections with his paternal family in Tipperary, including a memorable first meeting with his cousin at "Whites Grocers".
  • Tommy highlights the unique camaraderie of meeting distant relatives in Ireland compared to the U.S..
  • Favorite pubs include McCarthy's in Fethard, Tipperary, known for its history, and Dailies in Derry, which reminds him of old Bronx pubs.
• Career and Notable Bagpipe Band Memories:
  • Tommy shares his path to becoming a firefighter, joining the department in 1978 after not being able to get into Local 3 as an electrician.
  • He speaks highly of his career as a firefighter, expressing no regrets.
  • A particularly memorable and suspenseful story involves a trip to Portlaoise Prison with fellow band members Bobby and Joe Murphy, where they unknowingly sailed "into a hornet's nest" due to Joe's friend being a high-profile prisoner involved in an IRA gun-smuggling operation with the Boston mob.
  • He talks about hiking in Donegal with a group of friends, including Dermot, whom he reconnected with after many years.

You can listen to the episode here: https://youtu.be/w1WnHGq0jsc?si=N-mwDRxrWBdCiDI7

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In this episode of the "Pubs & Pints Podcast," [00:04] host Tim Grant talks with Ed Boles, a longtime friend, about his Irish upbringing in Woodside, Queens, and his deep connection to Irish culture. Eddie is a retired Battalion Chief in the New York City Fire Department.

Key discussion points include:

• Family Background and Woodside: Ed's parents immigrated from Ireland; his mother from Donegal in 1950 [06:35], and his father from Sligo, an accomplished Gaelic football player who eventually opened "The Castle Inn" in Woodside [13:20]. Ed highlights Woodside as a predominantly Irish, working-class neighborhood [05:23], a "safe haven" for new Irish immigrants [15:53].
• Childhood Memories of Ireland: Ed recounts spending summers on his grandparents' farm in Donegal, starting at age five, working the hay and turf, and experiencing life in their thatched cottage [21:40]. He also shares a story of flying to Ireland alone at ten years old to continue working on the farm [24:02].
• Gaelic Football: Ed's passion for Gaelic football is evident, having played for the FDNY Gaelic football team for many years [24:52]. He explains how the sport was a central part of the Irish community in New York, with families gathering at Gaelic Park in the Bronx [25:38]. He also touches on the historical rivalry between Gaelic football and rugby in Ireland [27:15].
• Favorite Irish Pubs and Locations: Ed shares his recommendations for visiting Ireland, including Kilmainham Gaol and The Brazen Head in Dublin [48:29]. He also discusses memorable pubs in Belfast, including one that was bombed shortly after his visit in 1997 [52:07]. He describes his annual three-day pub crawl with friends to different towns across Ireland [55:02].
• Irish Music: Ed talks about his journey into playing the bodhrán and tin whistle after 9/11 as a stress relief [01:03:15], eventually forming a band called Celtic Blend [01:07:01]. He mentions a documentary and book about Tommy Potts, a Dublin firefighter and famous fiddle player, whose music was inspired by a tragic fire [01:04:46].

You can listen to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jesIyT-xUWY

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In this episode of the "Pubs & Pints Podcast," [00:02] host Tim Grant interviews Donna Abraldes, whose family's Irish dance journey led to a remarkable discovery of her roots and a famous great-grandfather.

Key discussion points include:

• Irish Dance Connection: Donna explains how her daughters' participation in Irish dance led to connecting with long-lost relatives in Ireland [00:15].
• Family History: Her great-grandfather, Bartley Ferguson, immigrated to America at 25 through Ellis Island and was a sparring partner for famous boxer Jack Johnson [02:26]. He was also a celebrated Irish footballer, winning the Croagh Patrick Cup three times with the Stephanites team in the early 1900s [06:46].
• Discovering Relatives in Ireland: A letter sent by her cousin to the family's original home in Ballina, County Mayo, led to reconnecting with Bartley's youngest brother Charlie's daughters [04:42].
• Emotional Reunion: Donna describes an emotional first meeting with her Irish cousins at an Irish dance competition in Dublin [05:46].
• Visiting Family Landmarks: She recounts visiting Mo Claire's pub in Ballina, where a picture of her great-grandfather's championship team is still displayed [06:31], and the small, two-bedroom cottage where he grew up with his siblings [08:26]. She also mentions visiting the Merry Monk, a lively pub in Ballina, where her daughters performed Irish dances [11:37].
• NYPD Heritage: Donna's paternal grandfather, Walter Ferguson, was a decorated NYPD detective who guarded Elvis and the Beatles and died in the line of duty [22:50]. Her father was also a New York City firefighter [24:58].
• Irish Dance Impact: Donna reflects on how Irish dance provided her daughters with discipline, lasting friendships, and a strong connection to their Irish heritage, including opportunities to travel the world [29:11].

You can watch to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q7DnglZe-0

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In this episode of the "Pubs & Pints Podcast," [00:19] host Tim Grant talks with Dan Bauso, who shares his experiences growing up in Woodside, Queens, and his family's Irish and Italian heritage.

Key discussion points include:

• Woodside, Queens: Dan describes Woodside as a historically Irish neighborhood, even being called "the most Irish neighborhood in the city" during the Kennedy administration [02:08]. He recalls the prevalence of large Irish Catholic families [02:39] and the strong sense of community, often compared to "the Shire" from Lord of the Rings due to its simple, family-oriented life [03:27].
• Irish-Italian Heritage: Dan, being half-Irish and half-Italian, discusses how his mother and aunt married Italian men and intentionally gave their children Irish first names to maintain their heritage [06:28]. His maternal grandmother was from Mayo and his grandfather from Sligo [05:51].
• Immigrant Experience: He shares stories of his grandparents' journey to America, including his grandmother's resourcefulness in administering a polio vaccine to her 13 children [09:05]. He notes that the Irish were better at preserving their history than Italian immigrants, who often focused on assimilation [15:00].
• Donovan's Pub: Dan recounts his personal connection to Donovan's, working there as a busboy and barboy [29:20] and celebrating numerous family events at the pub, from communions to wedding rehearsal dinners [29:35]. He highlights the pub's unique social scene, catering to both Irish-American and newly arrived Irish immigrants [26:38]. He also shares a memorable story about a biker pulling a knife at the bar and being quickly disarmed by plainclothes detectives [50:18].
• "Small World" Stories: The podcast touches on "small world" stories, such as his grandparents meeting at a church dance in the Bronx despite growing up an hour apart in Ireland [18:50], and a chance encounter with a friend from the airport in a remote part of Ireland [52:04].

You can listen to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz8XNTLwMSo

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In this episode of the "Pubs & Pints Podcast," [00:19] host Tim Grant interviews retired NYPD detective John Stiastny, who delves into his upbringing in Woodside, Queens, and his German-Irish heritage.
Key discussion points include:

• Heritage and Upbringing: John shares that his paternal grandparents immigrated from Germany, and his maternal grandparents from Ireland, all meeting in New York [01:55]. He describes Woodside, Queens, as a predominantly Irish, working-class neighborhood [02:31].
• Childhood Experiences: He recounts participating in the "Boys Brigade" at St. Sebastian's [03:09] and his grandmother's desire to assimilate into American culture, contrasting with his grandfather's continued Irish identity [04:24]. He also shares memories of visiting Irish bars with his grandfather as a child [05:02].
• Donovan's Pub: A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Donovan's, a prominent Irish pub in Woodside that opened in 1966 [09:32]. John highlights it as one of the first places in the area where you could eat in a bar [10:02] and a central location for family events and community gatherings [19:01]. He also mentions that Donovan's was known for its perfect Guinness pours and highly-rated burgers [25:02].
• NYPD Career: John discusses his career with the NYPD, joining in January 1985 and later becoming a detective [13:37].
• Woodside Community: He emphasizes the strong sense of community in Woodside, where neighbors looked out for each other [15:20] and how the neighborhood lost many men in the Vietnam War [21:48]. He also shares a heartwarming anecdote about his Chinese friend, Brian, who was fully accepted into the predominantly Irish neighborhood [16:43].

You can watch to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L98N5bPnw-Q

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In this episode of the "Pubs & Pints Podcast," [00:19] host Tim Grant talks with Tommy Brennan, who shares stories about his Irish heritage and upbringing in the Bronx and Yonkers, New York. Tommy's father hailed from County Sligo, Ireland, and his mother was born in the US to Irish immigrant parents.

Key discussion points include:

• Family Pub in Ireland Tommy recounts growing up with a family pub, T. Brennan's, in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, which was opened by his paternal grandfather in 1936 [02:14]. He shares childhood memories of staying above the pub during summer visits to Ireland and the pub's role as a community hub [11:16]. The pub was even featured in the show "Normal People" [21:22].
• Father's Journey to America Tommy details his father's arrival in America in 1957 at age 21, his service in the American army in Germany [05:26], and how he met Tommy's mother at an Irish play group in the Bronx [05:50].
• Life in the Bronx and Yonkers Tommy describes his early childhood in the Fordham area of the Bronx, near the Grand Concourse [07:37], before moving to Yonkers at age 10 [07:54].
• Father's Bartending Career His father worked as a bartender at the Blarney Stone [08:37] and later at Nerie's, a well-known Irish pub on 57th Street, for 30 years [09:36].
• Irish-American Culture in New York They discuss prominent Irish establishments in the New York area, such as Rory Dolan's [16:10] and The Rambling House [17:40], and the strong Irish accent still heard in areas like Woodlawn [17:23].
• Tommy's Irish Identity Tommy reflects on his deep connection to his Irish roots, his involvement with the Sligo Association [25:57], and his desire to preserve the history of Irish pubs.

You can watch to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2FDzVQsGL0

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