Intelligencer

The Irish Are Coming

OVER 253,000 visitors from Ireland came to New York in 2005, making Ireland the seventh largest country when it comes to the number of tourists.

For the as yet unpublished 2006 number, the Irish are expected to leapfrog the French and the Italians into fourth place, according to New York City officials, and may well surpass the 300,000 mark in terms of numbers of visitors.

The United Kingdom is still way ahead with 1.2 million visitors, with Canada, Germany and Japan next. It is conceivable that more Irish than Japanese may be on their way here within a year or two, an extraordinary fact given the respective sizes of the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Irish impact is being felt far and wide according to an article in Crain’s New York Business this week.

The magazine quotes Cathal McGinley of the Dublin real estate firm KMS Commercial as stating that he helped sell 121 of 151 luxury condos in a new building in plush Rockefeller Plaza to Irish investors. They paid over $1 million per apartment on average.

Meanwhile, at seven of the 12 Marriot properties in New York the number of Irish visitors went up 40% over the 2005 period.

At Macy’s Herald Square a spokesman told the magazine that the Irish are now in the international top five of buyers of Macy’s goods. Inevitably they visit the luggage department.

“They buy so much they need something to put it all in to bring back,” said a spokesman.

Biometrics a Big Hit

INTERESTING to note that one of the reasons the Irish numbers are shooting up so much is the fact that the Irish government moved quickly to comply with the new biometric passport requirements, which many other countries still have not adjusted to.

Italian tourism, for instance, has dropped dramatically, over 200% last year, according to NYC and Company, the New York tourism agency, citing the fact that Italian authorities have been very slow to upgrade their passports to the digital photos and other security features now needed.

“There is no question that the passport issue affects the numbers,” stated Fred Dixon, New York’s vice president of tourism development.

In addition, of course, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made two highly publicized visits

to Ireland and announced the opening of a tourism office there, as well as new flights direct from West Knock Airport to New York.

Queens Parade Gains Clout

THIS Sunday, March 4, Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn will march in the St Patrick’s parade in Sunnyside, Queens at 12:30 p.m.

The parade was originally begun by the Lavender and Green alliance, a gay Irish group that was refused permission to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Manhattan.

Since then organizer Brendan Fay has done a remarkable job getting luminaries such as Senator Hillary Clinton and the mayor to march in Queens in a parade that is open to all.

It is now in its eighth year and will begin at 43rd Street and Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside, and wind its way to 61st Street and Woodside. It is New York City’s only St. Patrick’s parade to welcome gay contingents.

“We are especially proud to welcome City Council Speaker Christine Quinn,” said Fay. “When Speaker Quinn, who speaks proudly of her Irish heritage and is openly gay marches in the St. Patrick’s parades throughout the city she opens doors! She challenges years of exclusion and ignorance. She is a real bridge builder.”

Also among the marchers will be Congressman Joseph Crowley, Comptroller Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, New York State Senator Thomas Duane, Mayor John Shields of Nyack and Assembly Member Jose Peralta.

The parade concert featuring Malachy McCourt, Caroline Duggan and the Keltic Dreamers dance troupe, Brian Fleming and Gwen Frinn, musicians from Ireland and the Niall O’Leary dancers, will be at the Irish Arts Center in New York on Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Donation is $20.

Calling Ground Zero Workers

WERE you one of the many Irish volunteers who rushed to the Ground Zero site on September 11 and in the days after to try to help after one of the worst days in American history?

If you were, documented or not, you should register in case you become ill in the future from the many toxic fumes that were in the air in the days after the tragedy.

Rescue workers must register with the Workmen’s Compensa-tion Board before August 14, 2007, thereby preserving their right to free medical treatment and wage replacement benefits if they fall ill.

As is now widely known, many people are now falling ill five years after that dreadful day because of exposure at the site. There is a website at www.nycosh.org or you can call the toll free number 1-866 wtc-2566 for more information.

Less than 7,000 of the estimated 100,000 workers have registered. Remember, you don’t have to be sick to put your name down. This is a precautionary step in case you become ill in the future.

“It is imperative that people who worked within the

boundaries at the sites register whether they are sick or not,” said Joel Shufro of the Workers Compensation Board. “Failure to register will prevent individuals who may develop cancer or other slow starting diseases from receiving benefits.”