John Clancy, Foley's Bar and Restaurant, 18 West 33rd Street, New York and Ballyconnell Co. Cavan talks to Áine Duffy Irishwebtv.com

John Clancy  a man of note. John finished school at age of twelve.He went to Northern Ireland to train as a carpenter, but for political reasons was not allowed a permit to work there. His father owned a bar in Ballyconnell so young John was sent to London to learn his trade. At the age of just sixteen he was too young to serve behind the bar and ended up doing menial work in the premises. He then joined the Merchant Navy. Here  he stayed for ten years and then moved to the Cruise Ships gaining invaluable experience as a waiter. He learned of all of the different cuisine from all around the world. He passed through the Suez cannel. Met Che Guevara in Cuba, witnessed the aftermath of Hiroshima. Then John moved to back to Ireland.  After opening a bar in Wexford he eventually bought a little pub in Butlersbridge. This was to become the famous Derragarra Inn. Under John's guidance it won Bar of year award in 1976. John didn't rest there he eventually moved to New York. Again he worked his way up to opening his own business. He mixed with the best and the most notorious. Rubbed shoulders with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Met the famous gangster Lucky Luciano and has a revolver Frank "the Prime Minister" Costello gave him. Today John's son Shaun runs Folly's N.Y. bar and restaurant an Irish pub with a Baseball attitude. These days he rubs shoulders with the likes of Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr., an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots and has a world renowned "Hall of Fame" in Foley's Bar, 18 W. 33rd Street, New  York, NY 10001