Paul Hurley from the Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association said, "Are we drunks? No. We work hard. We work hard in New York. Over the years, we've helped build this great city."
Last Thursday Bloomberg told the American Irish Historical Society, "Normally when I walk by this building, there are a bunch of people that are totally inebriated hanging out the window waving."
He apologized the next day.
But local Irish groups say they're receiving complaints from around the world.
