By Sabina Clarke
Dear Patrick Hester,
You do not know me—I am your great great grand-daughter Sabina Clarke - but I am somewhat familiar with you having heard your name mentioned by my paternal great aunts Moggie (Margaret Veronica) Dooley and Annie (Anna Cecilia) Dooley in Dooleyville, PA-- your grand-daughters.
When your name came up in the conversation it was always in hushed tones and the subject was changed if I asked a question. In my young mind, you became even more intriguing-- and then I went off to play—the drama of the moment forgotten.
Years later I carried around in my purse a letter you wrote to your wife Catherine from prison-- I was so proud of it-- then I tucked it away somewhere and forgot what happened to it. I was never good at holding on to things of value-- a fatal flaw-- but I do have a rock from Ireland- a large rough limestone rock that is thousands of years old I am told by a sculptor and stonemason ihere.
Despite all of my many moves I have managed to keep it. I remember when I landed on Irish soil, I felt like I was coming home!
There is so much kismet in life-- when I lived in River Forest, Illinois, my best babysitter’s name was Ave McParland-- a strange coincidence but I thought it symbolic - the same last name as that traitor James Mc Parland hired by the Pinkerton’s – you were a big catch!
Even though Ave my babysitter was good and McParland was not - he was the worst - an informer - I saw this as significant. As I look at the sketch online on my computer of you and your family entertaining McParland in your parlor - I wish I could warn you - to beware!
The trial that you endured was a total mockery of justice. I plan to talk to my attorney brother Brian Lawlor, your great great grandson and see if he can pursue a pardon - justice was not served. I noticed that quite a few of your descendants - some Hesters’ and some Coynes’ are also members of the legal profession!
The Catholic Church, I know is always on the wrong side of social justice issues. As James Joyce famously said, “Oh Ireland my first and only love where Christ and Caesar are hand in glove.”
The Church authorities condemned the Molly Maguires from the altar. There is a story I’ve heard that your wife Catherine warned the local priest that if he ever called out your name again she would “Shoot him dead on the altar!” Is this true? If so, I love it!
There are some things – other than blood - we may have in common - that fate has a hand in. I am convinced that I carry the ancestral wounds of my ancestors - yours being one of the most prominent for the sacrifice you made.
For me, it began with the historic 1994 visit of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams - this marked the beginning of the public face of the Northern Ireland Peace Process and my long journey with contemporary Irish history and delving into ancient history and the background of what erupted into ‘The Troubles’
In August 1994, President Bill Clinton granted Gerry Adams a visa to come to the United States against the advice of his national security adviser Anthony Lake - a bold and courageous move on Bill Clinton’s part—that enraged the British Government. I was recommended as the press contact for Gerry Adams for the weekend of events after having met with the Irish American Commissioner John Sweeney who was appointed by Governor Casey of Pennsylvania. I was also vetted with a background check by Sinn Fein in New York. The weekend of events was a huge success and ended with a public rally at the Wyndham Franklin Hotel and an unannounced stop at the Liberty Bell requested by Adams on his way to the Airport.
Then again in March 1995, I was the press contact for Adam’s second visit to Philadelphia for a day of events after his having been invited to the White House for the St Patrick’s Day celebration by President Bill Clinton. I remember when we picked Adams up at the Airport - Tom Conaghan, the President of the Federation of Irish American Societies of the Delaware Valley, Paul Doris, the National President of NORAID, Irish Northern Aid and the bodyguard Scott Cummings from the Franklin Wyndham Hotel where Adams would be staying - what is vivid in my memory is Paul Doris giving Adams a bear hug.
Driving back from the Airport, I was seated next to Adams when he grabbed my press kit with the cover photo of him at the Liberty Bell taken in September ‘94. He looked inside the press kit at the first quote: “My business is revolution” - ( James Connolly). To my utter relief, it was fine since Adams maternal grandfather Hanaway worked with James Connolly. The final quote was by Adams, “I want to take the gun out of politics in Northern Ireland.”
On this one day visit, Adams spoke to a few Irish societies and then we attended a private dinner for him at Mezzanote Restaurant in the Fairmount neighborhood followed by a visit to the Mac Swiney Club – an old republican stronghold in Jenkintown, a suburb of Philadelphia. Adams took a tour and was escorted upstairs for a private meeting with the ‘men’, the hardliners, the old guard - I suspect that a good amount of cash was exchanged.
Then a few hours past the time I sent out to the news media for our expected arrival at the Irish Center, we pulled up at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy, a suburb of Philadelphia. We traveled in two limousines –a black one and a white one - I can’t remember which one I rode in - but it was exciting - we carried our drinks in the car. When we arrived at the Irish Center, the TV cameras descended on us - that is the frenzy that Adams generates wherever he goes - the whiff of gelignite and speaking in Irish is a powerful combination!
I have his speech recorded on tape-- I remember the line referring to the disastrous treaty dividing the country in 1921: “Dublin abandoned us 75 years ago.” The crowd roared!
And there were the events for Adams in New York City. A cocktail reception at the Warwick Hotel escorted by Niall O’Dowd, the publisher of the Irish Voice after attending Adams’ talk at the Irish American Historical Society with my sister Katharine Gilbert. And on another occasion attending the fundraising dinner for Sinn Fein where I was seated at the best table with David Soderberg, the Hollywood producer and Father Mychal Judge with my sisters –Katharine and Suzanne ( Kathy & Suzy). Mary Ellen, ( Mellen), the youngest could not make it.
I focused on Soderberg, the Hollywood producer and my sister Katharine focused on Mychal Judge, the chaplain to the New York City firemen who was later to die on 9/11 in 2001. Both Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness came to our table. My connection to them helped!
There are so many connections to Ireland in my professional work as a public relations specialist and journalist. In 1997, I promoted the Famine Walk at Penns Landing on the Delaware River. My mother Bunny and my brother Jack and his daughter Jacqueline attended. It was covered by all the TV stations and made front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Philadelphia Irish Remember the Famine”: -- we walked to the Delaware River and threw 800 white carnations into the river. It was quite moving!
In 1995, I proposed and organized the first Irish exhibit and reception at The Free Library of Philadelphia Farewell Dear Erin, the Irish in America commemorating 150th anniversary of An Gorta Mor. There is a backstory to this that I wrote about and is online in Irish American News Chicago
“No Irish Need Apply: Discrimination Against the Irish.” It was a battle to get it approved - with the help of the Irish American Commissioner John Sweeney reminding the Free Library Director Elliot Shelkrot, ”This institution is run on city, state and federal funds.” Suddenly we got the green light to proceed. So you see, I have a bit of the rebel in my blood too.
Professor Jack McCormick, the Curator of the exhibit sent me a note after the event that ended with “Up the Republic.” So you may get an idea. I had step-dancers in costume, coeli musicians, and bagpipers in full regalia on the steps of the Free Library on a balmy May evening greeting guests as they entered. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams came to the event accompanied by Paul Doris, the National President of NORAID . This was the highlight of the evening and created high drama and quite a buzz.
In October 1995, after the weekend of events with Adams, I had dinner with Bernadette Devlin at the Vesper Club. She is absolutely brilliant and was the youngest member elected to British Parliament. I remember her line—”The circus that is Gerry Adams.” Sure she was referring to the excitement he generates. She was dubious about how much President Bill Clinton would do to support the Peace Process , “when the going gets rough.” My interview with her is in my book. Telling Stories.
In September 1998 as the press contact I was part of a team that met with the Irish Government to prepare for the October 1998 visit of Ireland’s President Mary McAleese to Philadelphia. The 2 day event was sponsored by the Federation of Irish American Societies and the Irish American Business Chamber. The first event was an evening cocktail reception followed by a luncheon the next day. I remember the run through security check with the bomb sniffing German shepherd and The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Society Editor David Iams very impressed ,and the Foreign Desk of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Press coverage for the next day‘s luncheon included a feature story by Frank Dougherty in The Philadelphia Daily News that I arranged as well as other press coverage.
I remember when I interviewed Martin McGuinness for the Chestnut Hill Local - we are photographed together and I was smiling broadly. The paper received a letter from an outraged reader stating his shock and disgust that the paper would feature a story and photo with Martin McGuinness calling him “ IRA’s front man for murder incorporated.” The reader was Scottish-- it made me laugh!
I do not want to get too long winded but I do believe in destiny- so I will cite a few more connections to Ireland and the political scene. I think I got involved in one of the most exciting periods in contemporary Irish history, and my work in this area is the most exciting work I have ever done, both personally and professionally.
On October 16th, 1998, when the Nobel Peace Prize was announced we were sure Gerry Adams would be included with John Hume, the Social Democratic party Leader and David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist Party Leader. When Adams was not—we were shocked and disappointed. Later in the day, I attended a talk by Gerry Adams sponsored by the World Affairs Council at the Union League of Philadelphia.
In response to the question that was on everyone’s mind, Adams assured the crowd that “Peace is the prize.” It was a powerful moment.
From 2012 to 2014 , I was the press contact for the Boston College Belfast Project - the oral history archive from "The Troubles." The Police Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI, were trying to subpoena the recorded interviews of the republicans and the loyalists through our Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with Britain. Our Attorney General Eric Holder cooperated. Again, the target was Gerry Adams. The case went to the United States Supreme Court and the High Court of Belfast, I have all the legal documents that I crafted, press releases, and oped pieces from and worked with attorneys Jim Cotter in Massachusetts and Eamonn Dornan in Ireland.
Writer, Sabina Clarke
Ed Moloney author and journalist from Ireland, the expert on ‘The Troubles’ and former editor and journalist for several papers in Ireland was the Director of the Boston College Oral History Project.
Moloney used to have tea with Gerry Adams in Ireland but there was a fallout and Moloney was banished. Since my name went all over Ireland and the U.S. as the press contact for this case that was covered nationally and internationally, I was known.
At an evening reception for Gerry Adams at the Hyatt Hotel on the Delaware River, Richard McCauley, Gerry Adams’ long time PR guy came up to me at the cocktail reception and said “Ed Moloney is a liar.” He may have thought I would be influenced negatively towards Adams by my professional relationship with Ed Moloney, but not a chance! I did not know the details of their falling out but I do know that Moloney has stated publicly that “There would be no peace process without Gerry Adams.”
In 2016, I got a grant from the Irish Government for my proposal ‘Philadelphia Artists and Actors Remember 1916 in Art & Words’– this was the theme of my event commemorating the 100th anniversary of ‘The Rising’ in Ireland. My work was already underway, but the check from the Irish government covered some costs. My sister Katharine worked with me on this event supplying beautiful commemorative tee-shirts and gorgeous colorful flower arrangements for the stage.
I worked on this event all day every day for months - finding actors to read the Last Words of the martyrs who were executed that day and artists to paint their portraits. I had professional artists and student artists. Some of the portraits were Maude Gonne, James Connolly. Countess Markievicz, Gerry Adams. Michael Collins, Luke Dillon and of course Roger Casement, and all the portraits were sold.
I was fortunate to obtain the book Last Words by the Curator of Kilmainin Gaol! I paid $50 for it, the most I have ever paid for a book. I hired the harpist Mark Carroll for entertainment and stepdancers in costume.
An interesting footnote to this event is that initially, it was scheduled to be at The Free Library of Philadelphia until I was called to a meeting with Donald Root, the Free Library Chief of Central Public Services his assistant and Derick Dreher, the Director of the Rosenbach Museum after about 5 or 10 minutes of pleasantries there was an uncomfortable silence until I asked the question, “Is this meeting about Gerry Adams?”-- to which Derek Dreher replied, “Well, we don’t want to embarrass the Irish Government.” Again, I was dealing with controversy surrounding Gerry Adams is routinely demonized by the British and Irish governments - so I moved on to a welcome venue and expanded the event - it energized me even more.
My cousin Ruane Manning, a fine artist did a 5’ by 7’ foot oil painting of the legendary Joseph McGarrity, a former bootlegger turned businessman who helped fund the revolution. McGarrity was visited at his home on the Main Line of Philadelphia by Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera. He named a son after de Valera. McGarrity’s grand-daughter bought his painting. I bought the painting of Roger Casement. The painting of Gerry Adams was done by my sister-in-law Megan Lawlor. She gave it to me and it is hanging on my wall at home.
You may have heard that Gerry Adams is quite controversial. The Irish Consulate in New York kept calling the Irish Center asking “What portraits will be in the exhibit?” since the Irish Consul Barbara Jones was scheduled to attend. Poor Marie Reilly, she was tasked with this unpleasant mission – a question both Tom Walsh the manager of the Irish Center and I both ducked. Through some channel Barbara Jones found out that Adams portrait was included and she canceled her place on the agenda of speakers-I was relieved. I did not want her anyway.
Ireland has changed drastically. Migrants have been allowed into the country in large numbers. I am so glad Gerry Adams has stepped down from Sinn Fein. It is quite a scandal, and is being portrayed as similar to what the Irish experienced while the country is being flooded with people whose backgrounds have not been vetted. There is a globalization agenda afoot in Ireland, England and France. Natives have become second class citizens in their own country. If you were living in Ireland today, I am sure you would be fighting against what is happening there now.
My cousins and I have many happy memories of our time upstate as children and teenagers. It was blissful. So much freedom. We loved going to Knoebels amusement park and the drive-in movies. Just a month ago, my brothers Brian and Michael and my sister Katharine drove upstate and visited the old house at 4 Front Street in Dooleyville. It has changed. The new owner put ugly siding on the house and divided the very large side yard—it looked better before. We stopped at Tom Dolan’s house. The new owner is 98 and used to work in the mines.
The pines looked healthy and inviting. They have not changed. We used to walk through them to Beaverdale. I remember walking to town and having sundaes at Langis’ drug store. My aunts took me to visit the two sisters who had an appliance store in town. On our recent trip to the cemetery we passed their graves - side by side. We also stood at your grave, both of them. The older stone which is very ancient with interesting design, and the newer stone with writing that is more legible- an anthracite rock was placed on the top of your newer stone. Now I want anthracite for its properties- a piece of polished anthracite. Stones have miraculous powers.
A book you might like is Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe. I spent an afternoon with him at the Penn Club in New York in January 2019 before the February release of his book that won so many awards. My background was pivital to my getting the time with him. It is a brilliant book about ‘The Troubles’ and the murder of Jean McConville. Adams is featured in the book but refused to talk to Keefe. No surprise. This is Patrick Radden Keefe’s private description of Adams to me: “He is an endlessly fascinating character. I got him as best I could, but I don’t think anyone can get him completely.”
Despite not having direct access, he did what he calls a “write around.” He talked to people who knew Adams. He attended his talks in New York. He watched videos of him and succeeded, I think, in capturing Adams very well. There are so many other good books I have read regarding ‘The Troubles’ and the history that led up to them. And I never get tired of the subject.
I think I have gone on long enough about all of this so I will stop. I think you get the picture. I hope all is well in Heaven. It must be better than the troubles here on earth.
P.S. I love the Columbia County Historical Society in Bloomsburg, PA. I have been in close touch with Curtis Bratton, the Director who is wonderful and has been a huge help in our research. We plan to return for another visit this summer. This time my youngest sister, Mary Ellen (Mellen) wants to come. She is working on a Family Genealogy Project. It is amazing how she navigates this complicated genealogy. Something I could never do. She is also very good at directions while driving - also my Achilles heel as are all directions in all their myriad disguises.
