Failte 32 – Summer J1 Visa Holder Job Search Support | Failte32 connecting the Irish in NYC

Hi everyone

Apologies for the greater frequency of Failte 32 email/newsletters recently, but we are doing our best to support the influx of Summer J1 visa holders from Ireland who have made the brave move over here for the Summer. We welcome all of you to the U.S.

We have a number of job networking events in this issue for those of you on J1 visas. It’s important that you attend these events as you will get to meet Irish and Irish Americans interested in helping you any way they can. Attending these events should be part of your job search, but you’ll have a great time out at the same time. Remember, if you go to an event or call in some place looking for a job, always get a name and make sure to follow up. You should spend at least 3-4 days of the week actively looking for a job, and 1-2 days following up by phone or email.

As you know from our last update, the IBO has invited all new arrivals from Ireland to their Summer party on Wednesday June 15. Please see details on the news/events section on www.failte32.org

Paul Hurley, owner of O’Casey’s Bar and Restaurant, and co-founder Failte 32, will again be hosting weekly social networking evenings at O’Casey’s beginning Monday June 13th where free finger food and dollar beers will be served. Paul Hurley and all the O’Casey’s staff have very generously supported our new arrivals since the launch of Failte 32 last year. Paul has a number of great Irish bars in new York (www.pdohurleys.com) that are well worth visiting if you are on a J1 visa as you can get to meet influential locals who might be able to help you get a job.

Paul and his business partner Michael Glynn, together with one of the top executive chefs, Paul Loftus, recently reopened Kennedy’s on 57th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues). The place is looking like its old self with Neil in the front bar, and in the back bar, Maurice O’Connell – one of New York’s most famous bartenders for over 30 years and well known to all celebrities and politicians.

Congratulations Paul and thanks for all your generosity supporting our new arrivals.

The Irish Network – NYC Committee (www.irishnetwork-nyc.com), under the leadership of Gina Reilly, has also very kindly invited those of you on J1’s to its monthly networking event on Thursday June 16th, conveniently the day after the IBO Summer party. We have asked the committee to ask their members to try to bring along a job referral or tip on the night for our new arrivals. Details of the event will be posted shortly on the news/events section on www.failte32.org

We are very grateful to the IN-NYC, in particular Gina Reilly, for supporting Summer J1 visa holders from Ireland.

Paul Finnegan, Executive Director of the New York Irish Center in Queens (www.newyorkIrishcenter.org) has very kindly invited all of you looking for Summer work to its Monthly Trad Session.
The Úll Mór (Big Apple) branch of Comhaltas Ceolteoirí na hÉireann holds a traditional Irish music and dancing seisiún at the New York Irish Center on a monthly basis. Lots of musicians, singers and dancers come down to join in this late-afternoon session of great trad. Organized by Cathy Hornberger, the Craobh Úll Mór CCÉ look forward to their next seisiún at the Center from 4-7pm on Sunday June 19th. Free, donations accepted for food and beverage.

The New York Irish Center is also planning a Movie Night either Friday night July 8 or July 15. They should know exactly which night in about a week or so. It’s $10, with Seniors and J-1s $5, so please keep this in your calendars.

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One thing those of you on J1 visas should do is contact your County Society here in New York. All 32 counties in Ireland have representative County Societies here in NY. So please let us know which County you’re from, and we will put you in touch with its Officers. This can be a great way to meet great people who emigrated from Ireland decades ago, and who are always more than willing to give a helping hand.

For more information on the County Societies, please visit the website of the United Irish Counties Association of New York (www.uicany.org) which is the umbrella organization of all 32 County Societies in New York.

On a related note, it’s worth your while visiting a superb exhibition by New York University’s Glucksman Ireland House & Archives of Irish America, created in partnership with the United Irish Counties Association of New York with funding from the Government of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme, called the ‘The Fifth Province: County Societies in Irish America’ which showcases the long and rich history of the County Societies in New York. Its curators are Dr. Marion R. Casey and Dr. Miriam A. Nyhan. The exhibition was first showcased back in November at the Irish Consulate for six weeks and is now also available online (click on links below).

http://irelandhouse.as.nyu.edu/object/ne.thefifthprovincenyuopenhouse

http://www.nyu.edu/as/irelandhouse/fifthprovince/index.php

An event is being held on Friday June 10 at Glucksman Ireland House to present a special colloquim, ‘Home Away from Home: Immigrants and Associational Culture’. In attendance will be the Consul General of Ireland in New York, Hon. Noel Kilkenny, and an impressive line up of speakers including Prof. Miriam Nyhan. Continental breakfast, lunch and wine and cheese reception afterwards. If you are a J1 visa holder, always make sure to announce yourself as such at these events and mention that you are looking for a job for the Summer (click on link below for details).

http://irelandhouse.as.nyu.edu/object/ne.associationscolloquium

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Another way you can get to meet County Society Presidents and Officers, is by attending the United Irish Counties Annual Feis which is being held at Saunders Trades and Tech High School. They are always looking for volunteers to help set up the stages on the Saturday, and help out on the day of the Feis. Those of you who do volunteer will experience one of the first original Irish Feiseanna, and plenty of food will be provided on the day free of charge.Name: 2011 UIC Annual Feis
Location: Saunders Trades & Tech High School, 183 Palmer Rd, Yonkers, NY 10701
When: Sunday, June 12, 2011
Subjects: Dancing, Music, Promoting Irish Culture

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Irish Business Solutions (www.irishbusinesssolutions.net) is getting so many calls from people who have just arrived in New York.

Brendan Barry will be in New York on business on Friday and Saturday next so if you are looking for a job, please send Brendan your cv by email to [email protected] and he will organize to meet up with you, but according to Brendan, there doesn’t seem to be many jobs around in New York.

Brendan did say that there are jobs in other parts of the US like Washington DC ,Virginia and Maryland so don’t be scared to travel a little within the U.S. if it means you have a greater chance of getting work. Many of us on J1’s back in the early 90’s used to travel from New york to Boston, cape Cod and further afield where the jobs were.

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Don’t forget to place your free classified ad in the Irish Examiner USA, America’s leading Irish newspaper (www.irishexaminerusa.com), compliments of the great Paddy McCarthy, its Founder. You can send your classified ad (a few sentences about the job you want and your ph. no. or email) to [email protected]

For other events in the Irish American community, please visit the news/events section on www.failte32.org. Please also visit our ‘tips’ section, which while not exhaustive, will give you some job search ideas, and our ‘affiliated organizations’ section lists all our affiliated organizations including business, cultural, sports associations etc.

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Job inquiries:

Those of you on this email/newsletter list who are employers or know an employer, please do what you can to help the following find a job. Thank you for all your support.

Longer-term employment:

If you know of any employer looking for an assistant with exceptional administrative skills please contact Anne at [email protected].

The following are looking for Summer jobs June-Sept.

Niall: Travelling to Montauk for the summer months of June to the start of September. Any type of work [email protected] 16319496214.

Barry Kerin and Declan Conway: Any type of work [email protected]

Andre Penco: Any type of work [email protected]

Aidan Quinlan and friend: Bar work [email protected] [email protected]

Patrick Griffin: Bar work [email protected]

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As per our last update, please drop by Niall O’Leary’s weekly music and dance nights.

7.30pm-11pm first Wednesday of every month

Irish Music and Dance Session at