Little Chapel on the River

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.

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...

While researching Little Chapel on the River, I spent hours at the Putnam County Historical Society museum researching Philipstown. Many towns leave their history stored in residents’ memories, and when these locals pass away, sadly, so do those tales. PCHS helps prevent that from happening. Here are a couple of interesting events on the organization's plate this month: This Saturday, Nov. 15th at 5 p.m., the group’s Young Associates will host an event called A Night of Historical Drama dedicated to the local villain (or misguided, misunderstood patriot depending on whom you ask) -- Benedict Arnold . According to an email from the group, Julie Heckert will lead a cast from the Philipstown Depot Theater in a dramatic reading of the play, "The General from America," which tells the notorious tale from the perspective of Arnold and his young British wife. The evening's bartender, Jim Young , will serve up the very same last drink that Arnold had before he fled West ...

One familiar face at Guinan's during its last few years was a West Point cadet named Brad Hoelscher . He came to Guinan's on his 21st birthday and continued to support the store both as a patron and as an extra pair of beer-slinging hands on several of the busiest nights during Guinan's final hours. Brad is quoted in this New York Times story yesterday about the controversy over what kind of role religion plays and should play at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and other service academies. It's an interesting piece, even if you don't know Brad. For those of you who do, he graduated on May 31st . I was lucky enough to attend the ceremony and spend time with his family and friends that day. They are an incredible bunch. As for Second Lieutenant Brad's next steps, I'll keep you posted here.

Below, a letter from a U.S. officer recently wounded in Iraq: Dear Station Plaza Board Members, I would like you to consider Mary Ellen Yanitelli's proposal for the Guinan's Country Store and Pub. There is a great opportunity to keep "a warm and special place" in Garrison. I am a career military officer stationed at West Point and have been attending the Irish nights at Guinan's since 1995. I just recently returned from two years in Iraq after being critically wounded. I was more hurt by the news that Guinan's was closed than I was with my physical wounds. One of the "things" I clung to during my recovery were memories of Garrison and Guinan's. You can not imagine how important this was to my recovery. I believe there is something so very special about this community. This is an opportunity to keep the community together.... God Bless, LTC Kenny McDonald Deputy Commander US Army Corps of Engineers New York District Photo by Gwendolyn Boun...

Cadet William B. Hoelscher III (pictured left) October 20, 2005 I am probably the last demographic you and your publishers thought they would hit when you released your book. I am a Yearling at West Point and I turn 21 on November 2nd of this year. I was at home in North Carolina this past weekend, and we celebrated my birthday when I was home. I received an autographed copy of your book as my present from my parents. My grandparents moved to Garrison in 1970 and lived in an old farmhouse on Albany Post Rd. They are now buried at St. Philip's. I spent a lot of time there when I was a young. I was very close to my grandmother, and I have many great memories of Garrison from when I was younger. My mom told me that she and my dad used to buy their New York Times in Guinan's on our many visits to Garrison and had they known that they could go there for beers they would have spent a lot more time there. I have been an avid reader ever since I was a little kid. Your book gave me...