Jimmy Neary's Legacy: NYC's Iconic Restaurateur and Neary's on 57th Street

The Life of Jimmy Neary

• 💡 Jimmy Neary was born in 1930 in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, Ireland, growing up on a farm but drawn to interacting with people.
• 🚀 His journey to America was funded by investing poker winnings in lambs, selling them to pay for his passage.
• 🛠️ In New York, he started as a "towel boy" at the New York Athletic Club and later learned bartending from PJ Mari Arti, confirming his passion for hospitality.

Building an NYC Institution

• 🎯 On St. Patrick's Day 1967, Jimmy co-opened Neary's Pub on 57th Street, later rebranding to "Neary's" to reflect its upscale atmosphere and strict dress code.
• ✅ Jimmy's philosophy was to be present 364 days a year, treating everyone equally and fostering a welcoming environment where customers felt like family.
• 👏 His exceptional leadership was evident as many employees, like Liz Farley, stayed for over 50 years, considering him a father figure.

A Hub for Legends

• 🌟 Neary's attracted a diverse array of iconic patrons, including astronaut John Glenn, who deeply impressed Jimmy.
• 📚 Author Mary Higgins Clark featured "Jimmy Neary" in 25 of her books, highlighting his unique charm and the restaurant's significance.
• 🏆 The restaurant housed memorabilia like George Steinbrenner's 1977 Yankees photos and Timmy Mara's Super Bowl rings, gifted by the owners themselves.

Friendship with Mayor Bloomberg

• 🤝 Mayor Michael Bloomberg was a long-time customer, and his friendship with Jimmy deepened after Neary's became an early adopter of a non-smoking policy.
• ✨ Bloomberg brought President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton to Neary's on New Year's Eve and took Jimmy on a private plane trip to Sligo for a dedication.
• 🎤 After Jimmy's passing, Bloomberg delivered a eulogy at St. Patrick's Cathedral, honoring their extraordinary friendship.

Una Neary's Dedication

• 💼 Jimmy's daughter, Una Neary, worked at the restaurant from age 12, balancing a successful career on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs and BlackRock with her commitment to Neary's.
• 🔑 She had a contractual agreement to work weekends at the restaurant, demonstrating her deep family loyalty and dedication to the business.
• 💪 After her father's passing, Una became the "keeper of the flame," running the restaurant and ensuring its legacy continued.

The End of an Era & Lasting Legacy

• 🚪 The family made the difficult decision to close Neary's after 57 years, choosing to go out "on top" and celebrate its rich history.
• 🖼️ Memorabilia was preserved in Jimmy's "nap apartment," now a museum dedicated to his life, and 57th Street was co-named "Jimmy Way."
• ❤️ Jimmy's enduring philosophy, "I love my life," emphasized gratitude and finding joy, a blueprint for success and character.
• 🎬 His life story is captured in the documentary "Neary's: The Dream at the End of the Rainbow," available on Amazon Prime.