Little Chapel on the River

View of #7 Garrison's Landing, now under renovation, from train platform. Renovations for a new restaurant and cafe are well underway at #7 Garrison’s Landing , home to the former Guinan’s Pub & Country Store, which closed its doors in 2008. A couple of weeks ago, I got a tour inside - stepping back across a threshold into a place so many lucky people once called a second home.  The nonprofit organization leading the reconstruction has rebuilt the pub area in back (no, the floor doesn’t slant anymore but that glorious view of the Hudson River is the same) and generally kept the building’s overall architectural shape in tact. The old green phone booth still stands outside (it might become a library book trading outpost, I’m told), the stone fireplace is there (couldn’t see if the gold shamrock was still embedded on the hearth as it was covered with new windows about to be installed.)   [ UPDATE : Breaking news...the shamrock has been located and while it is not...

"See, some people call this place here the bar. Others just call it Guinan's. I call it my riverside chapel." -- Jim Donnery, Winter 2001 His license plate said "Irishman." So it was fitting to first meet Jim in the green-walled pub of Guinan's. It was freezing outside, but warm in there. Jim made it warmer with his big booming voice that signaled friendship from the first word, even to a stranger. It happened to be me that night, tiptoeing into the sacred after-hours world of the little chapel for the first time, but I could have been anybody. That's just the way Jim was - he was kind. To people he knew, and those he didn't. Jim was born on Christmas Eve in 1950 in Cornwall-on-Hudson, according to his obituary . When he was small, his Mom, Dorothy , would drive him down to the river banks to watch the tankers and freighters go by. Before Guinan's was Guinan's, his father as a kid used to row his boat across the river to buy candy and...

My friend Andy Revkin - a Garrison, N.Y. resident, writer, educator and longtime Guinan's patron - recently released his first CD called "A Very Fine Line." It's a collection of 10 songs recorded with some contributions from extraordinary local musicians, among them Dar Williams, Art Labriola, the Motherlode Trio, Al Hemberger, Bruce Molsky , and Eric Starr , among others. The video above is a rendition of his song about Guinan's set to photos by the uber-talented Hudson Valley photographer, Christine Ashburn . Many of the photos were shot during the "Irish Night" musical sessions that occurred every Thursday after the full moon. Andy is a guy of many talents, and he explains his segue into the music world in this write-up here . You can find he entire CD on Amazon and download on iTunes or from Andy (just $7) here .  On Sunday evening (Dec. 22nd), Andy is hosting a CD celebration and musical jam with many of the contributing musicians at th...

Is this the next chapter for the old Guinan's building? Here's the latest story . The proposal is a long way from reality (just take a look at the condition of the building!) but at least there are folks willing to give it a shot.

Please join me once again to support Kelly Guinan Preusser and her husband Ed Preusser as they hop on bicycles to ride from Boston to New York City in the Sept. 28th to 30th "Braking the Cycle" in honor of Kelly's late father, John Guinan . It's a tough fundraising environment out there, and any amount will go a long way to help them reach their goal of $3500 per rider. Here's the link to donate . I won't be able to ride with them this year, but encourage anyone who has supported me in the past to please consider supporting Ed and Kelly. It's not easy to commit to this ride year after year - and this year's proceeds will go to support Housing Works , a community for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Thanks to everyone who continues to honor John with their gifts and support.

Dorothy M. Donnery - mother of Jim Donnery who christened Guinan's "Little Chapel" - died April 2, 2012. The night I first met Dorothy solidified my commitment to writing a book about Guinan's. She was as eclectic and smart and compelling a character as I've ever met. She loved the Hudson River - loved watching the tankers and the freighters go by. She worked along its shores at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point for 39 years. When Jim returned home to visit Guinan's on Friday nights, she'd always have a sandwich and vanilla milk shake ready for him. At Guinan's she'd sip the occasional Michelob Light, though gin and champagne were her drinks of choice. If she grew tired of the barroom banter, she'd slip out to the car where she kept a blanket and sleep. Dorothy suffered no fools; her smile was contagious. The family has asked that memorial donations may be made to a charity of one's choice. Photo courtesy Jim Donnery.

We lost one of our parishioners, John J. "Jack" McAndrew - a founder of "Irish Night" at Guinan's - after his fight with lymphoma. He was 72. Jack is featured in the chapter "The Rising of the Moon" in Little Chapel on the River and at other points in the book. He was a friend to many in Guinan's green walls, and a teacher to those new to Irish music. Without fail, he'd play your favorite song without being asked. For me, that was The Wild Rover . With a nod, and wink, he would always launch in just as my hands were wrapping around the first cold Coors Light. I'll remember his smile and generosity as it swelled out from the dark room, dancing on the music that carried his spirit throughout the bar and beyond. You can read Jack's "My Reflections as Session Leader" essay about his time at Guinan's. Memorial donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society www.lls.org Photo courtesy Christine Ashburn.

Long live the Chapel! A group of parishioners -- including family members Margaret Guinan, Kelly Guinan, Mary Jane Guinan & Ed Preusser -- gathered at the Chapel to celebrate the High Holy Day. Building might be shut, but you can't keep the community away. Everyone is very excited about the upcoming renovation and reopening . Helping organize the event was Jay Vitale , a friend of the late John Guinan , who in honor of John has started a very cool charity called "Guinan's Aurora" where he collects used bicycles bound for the landfill and partners with local bike shops to help refurbish and distribute them to under privileged children or children in remission from life-threatening illnesses. He's done incredible things so far. You can connect with Jay at www.guinansaurora.org or on here on Facebook . Address below: P.O. Box 208 Garrison NY 10524 845.424.6078

It looks like the old Guinan's building may be turned into a gathering spot for the public once again. Local Garrison residents Chris and Sharon Davis are pursuing permits to lease the building and turn it into a commuter retail store and restaurant, according to Chip Allemann , the general manager for two local establishments already owned by the Davis family: The Garrison and Highlands Country Club . Chris Davis runs N.Y.-based investment fund and he and his wife Sharon are active in many facets of Philipstown's environmental and historical preservation. Assuming all goes according to plan, Allemann, who would also help oversee this new venture, says they intend to open operations in the second quarter of 2013 after renovations are completed. There would be a commuter retail store open daily from early in the morning and a bar with light fare also open daily starting around midday. The current Tavern restaurant located at the Highlands Country Club would be moved to the G...

Please join me in supporting Kelly Guinan Preusser and her husband Ed Preusser as they make their way on bicycles from Boston to New York on Sept. 16-18 as part of "Braking the Cycle" in honor of Kelly's late father, John Guinan. Any $$ amount will help them raise their ambitious goal. Time is running short! Here is the link to donate. Many of you have supported this endeavor in the past by donating to me, or to other members of Team Guinan . I cannot ride this year, but hope that everyone who can give, will put their support toward Ed & Kelly's goal. This ride was extremely important to John and to his wife Mary Jane. Thanks to all who have and continue to honor John with their generous gifts.

Candace Coates , the "Highland Harper," will play at Paula's Stone Cottage Wine Bar in June. Candace reports that the building was home to the Bloggett Memorial Library in the 1960's. Since then, she says, it has been a lawyer's office, and two beauty salons before becoming the wine bar. Date: Sunday, June 12, 2011 Time : 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Address : 2 Broad Street/1158 Main St. Fishkill, N.Y. Phone : (845) 896-9563 (896-WINE)

Many belated thanks to the Berkshire Book Club in Boston for reading Little Chapel on the River for their book club. I recently spoke to the club by telephone during their meeting - you all were terrific! Always surprises me that readers still come up with new questions about the book, and BBC did not disappoint. Back row L-R Amy, Danielle, Annie, Nuala, Becky, Tara. Front row - Jennifer, Kelley, kaitlin, Liz. (Lynne and Kris are not pictured).

UPDATE: 1/29/2011 - Spoke to a couple of people directly involved in the renovations who say the pub structure will remain in place, though it will require some renovations, shoring up, etc. That's great news. Hope this plan remains in place. Heard today that the owners of #7 Garrison's Landing may be planning to dismantle what for many was the heart of Guinan's - the green pub in back - when they renovate the building into office space. Don't know if it's true, but if so, this breaks my heart. Surely there are alternatives that could respect the history of this institution, and the people who loved and cared for it, while still making needed structural changes?

As the Garrison Station Plaza group, which owns the old Guinan's building, makes preparations to convert it into primarily office space, Garrison resident Mary Ellen Yannitelli has sent a letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation requesting they reject the project on the grounds that such a conversion will have a substantial impact on the environment and character of the surrounding area. Mary Ellen asks that anyone supporting the effort to keep Guinan's old building as a pub, cafe, restaurant or other public gathering spot also email or mail NYDEC by Dec. 24th and says her letter may be used as a template . Here's who to direct it to: Joseph R Murray NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters 21 South Putt Corners Rd New Paltz, NY 12561 (845)256-3054 r3dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us In her letter, Mary Ellen calls into question specific "no" answers provided by Garrison Station Plaza in its application to change the building's purpose: 19. Will Prop...

Here is an update on one of my favorite readers - a young man named Brad Hoelscher III who I met while he was still a West Point cadet. He wrote an email to me in 2005 after reading Little Chapel, and came to Guinan's for his first "legal" beer after turning 21. He was also quoted in the New York Times about religion and the military. "Cadet Brad" is now "Lt Brad," and he left about a month ago for deployment in Afghanistan. Between graduation and deployment, he was married to Aleece Mihok . I asked Lt. Brad's father - also a West Point graduate, also named Brad - for an update and he wrote this on Halloween: "Lt Brad left 27 days ago from Ft Polk LA, arrived in Manas, Kyrgyzstan on 7 Oct, spent a few days waiting for lift to Bagram AF in Afghanistan, making his way through Logar Province, finally making the final 15 miles from Altimur to COP Kherwar by road convoy in 9.5hrs!!??on Thursday afternoon, 14 Oct. LT Brad is in the advanced bat...

This is a recent email and photo, reprinted with permission from Jim Donnery , one of Guinan's regular parishioners and the man who inspired the name of the book: "Little Chapel on the River." The shot here is where the old bar and Coca-Cola beer cooler once stood. The proposal to create a new restaurant and store in the spot where Guinan's once operated was turned down by the board of the Garrison Station Plaza based on what it said was inadequate financing for the project. The board is planning to move ahead with renovations to include office space. From Jim Donnery: "I had been home this past weekend to attend a funeral for a family member and had some time for goofing off before a dinner engagement in Cold Spring, so I bought a few beers and went down to sit on the rocks by the Boat Club to admire the sun setting on "the river that flows both ways". Old memories brought me over to the Chapel entrance and I peeked inside the front door past the plyw...

In March, I wrote about a tribute bike ride for Jim Donnery , one of Guinan's most loyal parishioners and the inspiration for the title of the book "Little Chapel on the River." When Jim was diagnosed last year with prostate cancer, one of his dearest friends, Frank Hanes , began training to cycle 4,300 miles across the United States to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation . Frank recently completed his fantastic journey. He kept this inspiring blog along the way. Jim Donnery writes: "To all of you who were thinking of me, and praying for me, and made a generous donation to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. Our friend Frank Hanes (of the Inn at Manchester ) has completed his monumental journey across the northern section of our country and has raised almost $22000 by last count. Here are a few pictures of his triumphant finish, with his wife, children and friends." Photos courtesy of Jim Donnery and Frank H...

This piece of artwork was created by Andrea Marie Highsmith of Raleigh, North Carolina. She calls it: "Little Chapel on the River and my fascination with Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' sky." She rendered it using Gouache , a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water and some oils as well. Andrea is a recent graduate of East Carolina University. You can see this and more of her artwork on Facebook . Pretty neat stuff. Thanks Andrea.

Last week I had the pleasure of dropping in on the Omni Book Club in Huron, Ohio (60 miles West of Cleveland) by speakerphone as they discussed Little Chapel on the River. It's always surprising to me how five years after publication, I still get new questions about the book. One reader, Elaine Waterfield , pointed to the book's descriptions of the Hudson River with its ebbing and flowing, which led the Indians to dub it "river-that-flows-two-ways," and said she saw it as a metaphor for the advancing plot of Guinan's and the memories of my childhood. "Was that plan or an instinct?" she asked. I'd always intended for the Hudson River to be a character in the book - in part because I thought it symbolized the ability to create a fulfilling life that included both the country and the city. "Like the river that flows two ways, the trick was finding room for both currents," I write toward the end of the book. The deeper I got into the book'...

These poems were written by students at Ferris High School after reading Little Chapel on the River for their honors English class. More on the class here . “I am your home“ by CL I am your home whether you have one or need one the place where you bring your joys, your sorrow, your worries, your life a place where everyone fits in and has their own opinion an open discussion is always available together we create a union consider me your counselor I may not reply to your questions, but rest assured that once you step in and you hear the sound of the wind chimes, the members of the chapel will give you your medicine a beer, some comfort, an ounce of closure