I have been lucky in my life to work alongside so many great activists in Ireland and abroad. I was honored to count among them, my friend Jack O’Brien.
Our paths first crossed when I traveled with Martin McGuinness to the United States. Jack stood out thanks to both his stature and his soft southern drawl.
When I worked alongside the previous Sinn Féin Representative to North America Rita O’Hare, her desk always had an opened envelope with newspaper clippings and important articles from US publications that Jack would carefully cut and post. They were always interesting and, at times, annotated with Jack’s thoughts.
Over the past five years, I got to know Jack well as a historian and as a political activist. He always had an insightful comment to make, a helpful suggestion, and a probing question, all served up with good humor and topped with his head-back, full-hearted laugh.
He not only talked the talk, but he got things done. Important markers of Irish American history include memorials to Commodore Barry and the statue of Robert Emmet. I always smile when I pass the Emmet statue and remember Jack telling the story of how when it was designated, it became the smallest National Park.
The last time I saw Jack was at the rededication of the Wayside Marker for the Nuns of the Battlefield Monument at the end of the summer. Later that night we swapped stories at the launch of the memoir of Rita O’Hare.
While Jack had an interest in history, his passion was for the living. He was a proud Irish Republican who fought against injustice in Ireland. He was unwavering in his belief in the cause of Irish Unity. Many across Ireland will mourn the passing of Jack.
I recently came across a photo from 1972 of a group of activists on the steps of Capitol Hill. It was the American Committee for Ulster Justice set up by the legendary Civil Rights Attorneys Frank Durkan and Paul O’Dwyer. There in the middle was an unmissable young Jack O’Brien. Fifty years later he had lost none of his passion and retained all of his conviction.
Jack will be remembered by his family as a loving father and grandfather. For me he will be remembered as a friend and as an activist. On behalf of Sinn Féin, I offer our profound condolences to his son Timothy and grandchildren. Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.
Slán
Ciarán
Ciarán Quinn is the Sinn Féin Representative to North America. Each week he writes a letter from Ireland with news and analysis. It is featured in the weekly Friends of Sinn Féin USA Newsletter. Be sure you are subscribed to stay up to date.
