Halfway to St. Pat’s fundraiser supports Special Olympics New York all the way

Break out your green attire and join Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie in a jovial fundraiser on September 19

By Randy Robertson, Hudson Valley Regional Storyteller

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The calendar says it’s mid-September, and if you’re Emmett Woods that means one thing: we’re halfway to St. Patrick’s Day!

Woods owns Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie, and on Saturday, September 19 the pub will be rousing and energetic as bagpipe players and traditional Irish dancers entertain all comers.

The event will double as a fund raiser for Special Olympics New York. For Woods, it’s not only an opportunity to celebrate his Irish heritage but also a chance to raise funds for a cause that is near to his heart.

“I have a lot of close friends that are athletes and Special Olympics is very important to me,” Woods said. “My nephew Noel over in Ireland has a disability and he swims competitively, so I do what I can to help.”

Over the past 20 years Woods and his friends and colleagues at Mahoney’s have been prodigious fund raisers for Special Olympics New York. The crew has participated in Polar Plunges in Dutchess County for the past two decades. Their efforts raised more than $200,000 for Special Olympics New York and the 51,000+ athletes who benefit from the funding across a variety of sports competitions year-round.

You don’t have to hop a flight to Dublin or Galway this weekend to enjoy the Irish merriment. You don’t even have to be Irish. If you find your way to Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie, you’ll have an opportunity to see, hear, smell and taste a bit of Ireland while raising money for a good cause.

The event starts at 6 p.m. and continues through the evening. There will be a donation at the door for Special Olympics New York that includes a first drink. Raffle tickets will be sold for a variety of interesting prizes.

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