Fire in the Morning
In a strange twist of fate, Ron Clifford escaped the WTC unaware that his sister and niece were on the plane that crashed...
More
In This Issue
The Ironworkers
September 12, 2001: After a 26-hour shift Brendan McCormack emerges exhausted out of the darkness and into another day. A Donegal man, who has lived in the U.S. for 17 years, McCormack is an...
MoreFire in the Morning
In a strange twist of fate, Ron Clifford escaped the WTC unaware that his sister and niece were on the plane that crashed into the North Tower. United Flight 175, a Boeing 767 non-stop from...
MoreThe First Word:
Friendship, Love & Loyalty
“We never know how high we are until we are called to rise; and then, if we are true to plan, our statures touch the skies,” – Emily Dickinson ℘℘℘ Putting this issue of Irish...
MoreFlag-Raising Firefighters
The image of firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein raising the tattered Stars and Stripes on September 11 became a symbol of hope for Americans on their darkest day. The...
MoreThe Legacy of Chief Geraghty
Battalion Chief Edward Geraghty, of Battalion 9, Engine 54, Ladder 4 (48th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City), was an 18-year veteran of the department and the recipient of many meritorious...
MoreA Warm Irish Welcome
in Newfoundland
The remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Gander, Newfoundland: Hannah O’Rourke and Sandra O’Reilly...
MoreBill Butler
Firefighter Bill Butler is very grateful to be alive. He and five colleagues from Ladder 6, Engine 9, were in the North Tower helping to rescue a Port Authority worker named Josephine Harris when the...
MoreArlene Howard:
A Mother’s Love
Arlene Howard presented a very moving picture when she pressed her son George’s New York Port Authority Police Department shield into the hand of President George W. Bush. The...
MoreRoger Smyth:
NYC 911 Paramedic
Belfast native Roger Smyth moved to the U.S. five years ago and for the last three and a half years has worked at New York University Hospital’s downtown location on Gold and Beekman Streets, a...
MoreFather Christopher Keenan:
Fire Department Chaplain
Fr. Christopher Keenan, a Franciscan priest whose parents came from Co. Galway and Co. Roscommon, has been assigned the difficult task of replacing the much loved Fr. Mychal Judge as chaplain of the...
MoreKerry McGinnis:
Animal Rescue
On September 11, as for so many, Kerry McGinnis’ normal routine was abandoned when it became obvious that pet-owners in the area surrounding the World Trade Center needed her help. McGinnis...
MoreLynn Tierney
Imagine coming to work one day and 343 of your coworkers are suddenly dead. Months later you’re still passing empty desks and no-longer-relevant nameplates. On your own desk is a white...
MoreWilliam Baldwin:
Hollywood Helps
William “Billy” Baldwin helped comfort New York’s firefighters in the aftermath of September 11. Baldwin, one of the four acting Baldwin brothers, was one of the many Hollywood...
MoreRay Kelly: Back to Duty
On January 4, 2002, Ray Kelly was sworn in as New York City Police Department’s 41st Police Commissioner. Kelly previously served as the NYPD’s 37th commissioner and is the first person...
MoreMike Moran: Folk Hero
Firefighter Michael Moran survived September 11th only to discover that his brother, Battalion Chief John Moran, had perished along with 12 firefighters from Mike’s own Ladder 3 and Battalion 6...
MoreLt. Col. Thomas Cleary III:
Courage at the Pentagon
Ensuring the safety of others. That was Lt. Col. Thomas Cleary’s first thought when an airliner slammed into the floor below his office in the Pentagon on September 11. Not saving his own skin...
MoreCongressman Joseph Crowley:
Fighting for Safety
Joseph Crowley has been the Representative for the Queens and Bronx-based 7th Congressional District since November 1998. In 2000, he was reelected with 71 percent of the vote. In Washington, the...
MoreConcern Worldwide:
Relief in Afghanistan
Concern Worldwide, an international relief organization founded in Ireland in 1968 (with offices in New York) to provide humanitarian aid to the poorest regions in 26 countries across four...
MoreLoretta Brennan Glucksman:
Gift of Giving
Following the tragedy of September 11, the American Ireland Fund decided to make a gift of $1 million to help the victims of the attacks and set up a grants committee to advise on how this money...
MoreMonsignor Martin T. Geraghty: Helping Rockaway Heal
Monsignor Martin Geraghty, pastor for 13 years at the St. Francis de Sales Church in Belle Harbor, presided over 12 memorial services for the members of his church who perished on September 11. Belle...
MoreThe Final Note
The Pipes and Drums Bands of the Fire and Police Departments were on hand to plat a final farewell to colleagues. ℘℘℘ In the past, New York has had many happy associations with the sound of...
MoreDr. Kerry Kelly:
FDNY’s Chief Medical Officer
The next time there’s a tragic fire in New York City, it’s a good bet Kerry Kelly will be on the scene. Her Dad is a retired FDNY Lieutenant. Her grandfather was a firefighter. One of her...
MoreGovernor George Pataki:
Leadership Through Tragedy
George Pataki’s already strong record has been enhanced by the leadership qualities he demonstrated in the days following the September 11 attacks. Pataki worked with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to...
MoreJohn McLoughlin: The Survivor
The primary jurisdiction of the Port Authority police lies within a 25-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty. The PAPD is responsible for law enforcement, firefighting and rescue operations coveting...
MorePeter Foley: Photographer
On September 11, Peter Foley was riding his bicycle near the West Side Highway in Manhattan when his cell phone rang with the terrible news that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Not...
MoreGerry Grant: Court Officer
On September 11, Gerard Grant, 41, an 11-year veteran court officer at 60 Center Street was assigned to the officers’ academy on William Street, a block-and-a-half away from the World Trade...
MoreBrian Gallagher:
Chief Executive of
United Way of America
In November 2001, Brian Gallagher became the new president and CEO of United Way of America, the charity that organized the celebrity telethon which raised over $266 million for the victims of...
MoreMichael Rice:
Prudential Securities
Michael Rice is Executive Director for the Private Client Group at Prudential Securities, located at One Seaport Plaza, six blocks east of the World Trade Center. Though he emphasizes that the...
MorePaddy Moloney:
Playing a Song of Hope
Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains, Ireland’s Grammy Award-winning musical ambassadors, came to New York in the weeks following September 11, to play at the memorial service for Matthew O’...
MoreThe Chief’s Last Stand
Chief Ray Downey, one of the most respected firefighters of all, will be remembered for his courage, passion and commitment. Chief Ray Downey. ℘℘℘ Firefighter Chuck Downey stands on First...
MoreRonan Tynan: Fireman’s Friend
In December, as a tribute to his contribution to the Fire Department both before and since the September 11 attacks, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan was made an honorary firefighter. Tynan’s affinity...
MoreJim McGreevey: N.J. Governor
As newly elected governor of a state that suffered a large loss of life in the September 11 attacks and has a large budget deficit, McGreevey’s strong leadership qualities are already being put...
MoreThe McCormacks:
Brothers United
Three Irish brothers responded to the disaster and were part of the recovery effort. Detective Sergeant Peter McCormack,33, and Captain Paul McCormack, 32, of the 41st Precinct in the South Bronx,...
MoreRon McComiskey:
Evacuation from Manhattan
Ron McComiskey has been a captain on private vessels around New York Harbor for 20 years and when the World Trade Center erupted on September 11 he knew where to go — straight to the scene to...
MoreAidan Quinn: A Helping Hand
With fellow actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Aidan Quinn was one of the first to volunteer at St Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan and was put to work hauling ice for chilling blood. “I was feeling...
MoreReport From Ground Zero
An excerpt from Dennis Smith’s latest book. ℘℘℘ In the chief’s van, Chief Pfeifer hears the Manhattan dispatcher announce that a plane has gone into tower 1 of the World Trade...
MoreDennis Smith
Writer and former firefighter Dennis Smith has spent a lot of time in the company of firefighters since September 11th. He is the founding editor of Firehouse magazine and best-selling author...
MoreUSS Theodore Roosevelt:
Operation Enduring Freedom
“Fear of attack on home soil is a new feeling for this generation of Americans. The crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt has been working practically non-stop since September 11 to combat terrorism....
MoreGeorge Clooney:
Boosting Morale
George Clooney’s credentials as an actor need little elaboration. In 2001, the nephew of singer Rosemary Clooney also made headlines for humanitarian masons. Clooney was one of many celebrities...
MoreGoal USA: Humanitarian Relief
Goal, an Irish humanitarian relief agency with offices in New York, is undertaking a major relief program in and around the Northern Afghan city of Mazar I Sharif. Like Concern’s personnel,...
MoreJim Dwyer: The Journalist
In the aftermath of our national tragedy came the need for understanding. The need to probe the surface, to find the personality behind the name, the stories beneath the rubble. The very best writers...
MoreJoe McNally: Photographer
On September 12, photographer Joe McNally’ s wife had to get into Manhattan, to tend to her duties as director of photography at Fortune magazine. She was forced to stay in Manhattan for...
MorePeter Finn: War Correspondent
Since September 11, Peter Finn has kept us informed of the stories behind the attacks, such as the European connections of the hijackers and the origins of the plot to commit the atrocities. He has...
MoreFarewell to a
Cop With a Heart
Her name was Moira Ann Smith and she was a good cop from the neighborhood where I lived. I don’t know that I ever saw her on patrol in the Stuyvesant Town and Gramercy Park areas of Manhattan...
MorePaul Crotty:
Emergency Communication
As Group President for Public Policy and External Affairs in New York and Connecticut for Verizon Communications, Paul Crotty played an important part in their post-September 11 recovery plan. In the...
MoreDr. Bernadine Healy: Red Cross
Dr. Bernadine Healy was president land CEO of the American Red Cross until December 31, 2001. In the aftermath of September 11, Healy created a segregated account called the Liberty Fund to...
MorePeter King:
Republican Congressman
Congressman Peter T. King from Long Island is serving his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and serves on the Financial Services Committee and International Relations Committee. King...
MorePete Hamill: New Yorker
Since September 11, Pete Hamill has devoted many columns to trying to make sense of what happened, if that is possible, or trying to analyze the reaction and process of healing of New Yorkers. Hamill...
MoreJohn E. Sweeney:
Republican Congressman
John Sweeney became the Republican member of Congress for New York’s 22nd District (Clifton Park) in January 1999. Now in his second term, he has proved on many occasions that he is prepared to...
MoreDennis Swason: WNBC
Dennis Swanson is president and general manager of WNBC in New York, the flagship station of the NBC network. Less than a week after the World Trade Center tragedy, WNBC-4 launched a public service...
MoreDan Rowan: Firefighter
and Organizer of a Cycle
Across America
Firefighter Dan Rowan of Ladder 9, Engine 33 in Lower Manhattan, a company that lost ten men on September 11, organized a cycle tour across America to say thank you to the nation for the outpouring...
MoreTom Ridge: Security Office
Tom Ridge resigned as governor of Pennsylvania on October 5, 2001 and assumed the position of Head of Homeland Security three days later. His state had been touched by the September 11 tragedies when...
MoreTommy G. Thompson
Health and Human
Services Secretary
As Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson has faced a tough six months in which the September 11 attacks and anthrax scares have dominated the headlines. Thompson visited the disaster...
MoreA Family Tradition
On a day that seemed like hell, a father and son fond solace in working together. ℘℘℘ Balancing against twisted beams on the remains of the World Trade Center, ironworker John Mooney was...
MoreDennis Leary: Fundraiser
After the events of September 11, actor and comedian Denis Leary (interviewed in the February/March issue of Irish America) felt compelled to raise money for the families of deceased firefighters...
MoreRitchie Moran:
PATH Trainmaster
The PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) railroad normally discharged up to 5,000 passengers in the period between 8:47 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. at its World Trade Center station. However, shortly after the...
MoreStanding Tall
Love, courage and the kindness of strangers. ℘℘℘ And now, memory crashes all of 2001 into the 100 minutes between 8:48 and 10:28 of that morning in September. When the clock ran out and the...
MoreRusty Staub:
More Than a Legend
Daniel “Rusty” Staub, 57, is more than just a baseball legend to New York firefighters and police. The ex-Met has been operating the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children’s...
MoreKaren Curry: CNN Coverage
In her role as vice president and bureau chief of CNN in New York, a role she has held since 1999, Curry has contributed to CNN’s coverage of the September 11 attacks which have been broadcast...
MorePete Hayden: Working
Through the Crisis
Pete Hayden was one of the principal Fire Department officers in charge on September 11. Hayden was in the North Tower, and made an early decision to move the command post out of the tower, which led...
MoreBono: On a Mission
U2’s lead singer, Bono, has been a famous rock star for over two decades. His social activism dates back almost as long — to 1984 when he appeared on Band Aid’s “Do they know...
MoreFrank Cummins:
Just Doing His Job
For most firefighters, recognition is something they shy away from. Frank Cummins of Engine 255, Ladder 157, like countless other firefighters in the city of New York, dismisses his heroic deeds as...
MoreRev. Daniel P. Coughlin:
House Chaplain
On September 12 and 13, Reverend Coughlin united Republicans, Democrats and Independents together by offering prayers before start of business at the U.S. House of Representatives. Coughlin’s...
MoreSenator Edward Kennedy:
Serving the Public
As third most senior member of the Senate, and patriarch of one of the most famous political dynasties in the world, Kennedy has always been aware of, and lived up to the high expectations placed...
MoreGrandpa’s Shoes
They are still with us, the shoes. Tan-colored Rockports. Size tens. We have put them in a box and left them in the corner of a cupboard, although the reason why we have kept them is still mysterious...
MoreJoseph Morris:
Protecting the Port
Joseph Morris has been with the Port Authority Police Department for 29 years. Joining as a police officer, Morris worked his way up through the ranks to become the Chief of Department of the Port...
MoreSean Cummins: Firefighter
Dublin man Sean Cummins narrowly escaped death on September 11 as he had swapped shifts to take his mother to the airport for her flight back to Dublin. His firehouse at the time was Squad One in...
MoreLarry Downes:
Friends of New York
Larry Downes is the New York head of Friends of Sinn Féin. Shortly after September 11 the decision was made to reroute the funds from their annual fundraiser to the victims of the attack on America....
MoreFather Brian Jordan:
Comfort at Ground Zero
Fr. Brian Jordan is a priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church on West 31st Street, the church of the late Fire Department Chaplain Fr. Mychal Judge and the present chaplain, Fr. Christopher Keenan. On...
MoreFrancis X. Gribbon:
Vital Information
Francis Gribbon is a lieutenant in the Fire Department who has served for the last three years as deputy commissioner for public information. Gribbon, a 12-year veteran of the department, was...
MoreColin Powell:
Playing a Pivotal Role
In his role as Secretary of State, Powell has played a pivotal role in advising the President how to react in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Throughout his 35-year military career, he has...
MoreCollier Willmer: Heart
and Soles of Gold
For nine-year-old Collier Willmer of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as for so many children in America, September 11, 2001 meant growing up a little more quickly. Certainly, Collier’s mother...
MoreJoe Callan: Fire Chief
Chief Joe Callan, a veteran firefighter from the Bronx, was taking command at the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed. Amidst the terror and confusion, Callan drew widespread respect for the...
MoreMichael O’Looney: NYPD
Michael O’Looney is the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Information — a position he has held since early in the New Year. This former TV reporter left a position with CBS to...
MoreSr Mary Beatta Gerrity
RSM: Singing Irish Nun
Sister Beatta Gerrity, affectionately known as the “Singing Irish Nun,” sang at the funerals of many people who lost their lives on September 11. Sr. Beatta, a Sister of Mercy nun since...
MoreEamonn Carey:
Construction Worker
Tuesday, September 11 started, unusually, for Kerry man Eamonn Carey, 31, at home in New Jersey waiting for a construction job to start. A committed member and shop steward of Local 608, the most...
MoreNora McAniff: Inside People
As President of the People Magazine Group, Nora McAniff oversees the business side of some of the world’s most popular magazines. It’s a journey that began in 1982, when she joined People...
MoreFather Frank O’Grady:
In God’s Name
Father Frank O’Grady, a U.S. Army chaplain at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was awarded a medal of heroism for his work following the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. Fr. O’Grady, who hales...
MoreHenry McDonald: Firefighter
Henry McDonald, a retired battalion chief, spent his last six years with the Fire Department as executive officer (assistant) to First Deputy Commissioner Bill Feehan, He had retired nine months...
MoreCharles E. Coughlin: Commander
When American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the of the Pentagon on September 11, Commander Charles E. Coughlin, like hundreds of other Pentagon employees, started to evacuate. “But then I...
MoreMike Regan: Hands-On Guy
Mike Regan had quit the Fire Department, but when September 11 happened, he was back on the job immediately. Down at Ground Zero, he helped to recover the bodies of his comrades, including Fire...
MoreJoe Sexton:
The New York Times
After the attacks of September 11, the public turned to newspapers in a fever reliable information on a situation that was changing by the hour. At The New York Times, Joe Sexton, deputy metropolitan...
MoreKevin E. Gallagher: Union Man
Kevin E. Gallagher, President of The Uniformed Firefighters Association was in the thick of things when the Giuliani administration made the decision to remove firefighters from recovery duty at the...
MoreJoseph Dunne: First Deputy Police Commissioner
Joseph Dunne, the First Deputy Police Commissioner at the time of the terrorist attacks, got to the World Trade Center as the second plane crashed into the South Tower. Dunne’s objective was to...
MoreThe Final Note
Practicing “taps” prior to firefighter Michael Lynch’s memorial service. ℘℘℘ “What kind of guy was Michael Lynch?” “I’ll tell you what he was,”...
More