Peter Mallon Walsh, who died on April 18, 2025, was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. He would also want to be remembered as a poet, writer, singer, performer and bar owner. He loved music, literature and, of course, track. He spent his quiet moments with either a book or pen in hand at his home in Watermill, N.Y. In his less quiet moments, Peter’s spirit and voice could turn any taproom or gathering into a grand performance as his poems and songs took flight. Peter’s family is grateful to his friends who have held him in their hearts as he battled cancer with grace, humility and a contagious sense of gratitude.
Born on March 8, 1947, in New York City and raised there, Peter attended Marist College before enlisting in the U.S. Army and serving in Vietnam. On the GI Bill, Peter earned a Diploma in Anglo-Irish Studies at Trinity College in Dublin where he published a book of poetry, “12 Passports and A Stowaway.” A devout admirer of James Joyce, Peter began collecting rare books while in Dublin, eventually donating his collection to Glucksman Irish House at New York University. Returning from Ireland, Peter opened his first restaurant and bar, Pudding’s. Here, his love for running began as Pudding’s became a hangout for running clubs whose members impressed and inspired Peter, propelling him to run marathons.
Following the sale of Pudding’s, Peter owned Coogan’s Restaurant in Washington Heights with his partners and friends, David Hunt and Tess McDade. Greeting everyone who came to Coogan’s with a warm embrace and infectious smile, Peter had a genuine love for people and was passionate about uplifting his community. Coogan’s was a pillar in northern Manhattan thanks in large part to Peter’s unique ability to make all patrons feel comfortable, valued and joyful. Next door to the fastest in-door track in the world and home to the National Indoor Track Hall of Fame, Peter was a champion of the New York City track and field community. In addition to cementing Coogan’s as the home of the running community in the city, Peter founded the Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k run, which for 15 years raised funds for youth running programs.
In his retirement, Peter was welcomed by the jazz community in Sag Harbor, N.Y., and found a stage and a microphone at a long-standing weekly jazz night where you could find him every Friday night. While working on his first novel, Peter was writing poems and songs at a voracious pace. His completed work that documents the December 1876 shipwreck of the “Circassian,” close to Bridgehampton, N.Y., is the most comprehensive study of the event. In his final days, he completed a series he titled “Poems to Be Read, Songs to Be Sung.”
A lover of life, Peter always saw the best in people and could find the light in the dark. He loved his wife, Suzanne, more than anything in the world and his children, Conor, Alice and Dana are beyond grateful for everything their father taught them about the beautiful gift that life truly is. Joy is Strength.
A Celebration of Peter’s life will take place on Saturday, May 3 at the Armory Track & Field Center, 216 Fort Washington Ave. New York, NY 10032. The program begins at 2 p.m.
If you would like to make a donation in Peter’s honor, his immediate family would be most grateful if you did so at Armory Foundation Youth Program: Keeping Kids on Track here or Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital here.
