THE NORTHERN Ireland peace process had “united Irish mainstream opinion with the diaspora”, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said in Dublin last night.
Launching An Irish Voice,the autobiography of Irish-American publisher Niall O'Dowd, the Taoiseach said the book was a valuable contribution to the history of the peace process as well as the Irish emigrant experience.
At an early stage, O’Dowd and his associates had identified Bill Clinton as a politician who not only knew far more about Irish affairs than he was given credit for, but “had the skills to do something about it”. After all their efforts had proven successful, President Clinton had said to O’Dowd: “We did do great things together, didn’t we?”
Paying tribute to the author, Mr Cowen said: “He has been a modern voice in America for Ireland in many, many ways.” O’Dowd had also contributed to informing Irish-America of the changes that were taking place back home.
The Taoiseach said the author had played a major part also in restoring links between successful Irish-American business people and their heritage in this country. Moreover, “a network of knowledge and assistance” had been established as a result.
These people in turn had formed an alliance with the “more traditional, liberal wing of the Democratic Party” to support the peace process. “It was a huge achievement and Niall O’Dowd was very much at the centre of that.”
The Taoiseach said that reading the book reminded him of his own “very enjoyable, carefree days” as a young Irish emigrant worker in the US in the late 1970s. “I did identify very much with the narrative,” he added.
The book highlighted the challenge for all Irish emigrants in a big American city, “trying to maintain your Irish connection and yet not be imprisoned by it”. This story was told in a manner that was at the same time very humane and very humorous, Mr Cowen said.
Among those who attended the launch of O'Dowd's book, which is published by O'Brien Press, were: Fine Gael TD Fergus O'Dowd and Mayor of Drogheda Michael O'Dowd, brothers of the author; as well as TDs Jimmy Deenihan, Mary O'Rourke and Michael Ring; Senator Terry Leyden; president of UCD Dr Hugh Brady; author Tim Pat Coogan; Conor and Zhanna O'Clery; journalist and DCU lecturer Eddie Holt; columnist John Spain; broadcasters Tom McGurk and George Hook; Irish Timesmanaging director Maeve Donovan; theatre producer John McColgan, and and chairman of the California-based Irish Technology Leadership Group John Hartnett.
