The author will give a lecture on the “much-needed biography,” An Irish Passion For Justice, at the Jackson Heights Library

Robert Polner will speak about the book he co-wrote with Michael Tubridy at the Queens Public Library. Photo via QPL

December 4, 2024 By Colum Motherway

Join renowned author and Queens resident Robert Polner for an insightful lecture on the life of Paul O’Dwyer, a pioneering Irish-American lawyer, politician and activist.

Polner will discuss the biography An Irish Passion for Justice: The Life of Rebellious New York Lawyer Paul O’Dwyerwhich he co-wrote with Michael Tubridy on Saturday, December 7th at the Queens Public Library in Jackson Heights.

The event will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. at the library at 35-51 81 St., Jackson Heights. Copies of the book are available for sale and signing.

The biography looks at the life of Paul O’Dwyer, an Irish-born New York activist, politician and lawyer who spent his career fighting for the rights of the oppressed and marginalized. Throughout the 20th century, O’Dwyer’s legal and political battles – both in the courts and on the streets – shaped the city’s progressive movements. Polner and Tubridy recount O’Dwyer’s role in pivotal events, including his defense of accused communists, his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, and his work organizing black voters during the civil rights movement.

Although O’Dwyer was criticized for his left-wing ideologies, his legacy includes major achievements, such as his outspoken stance on the Northern Ireland riots, during which he enlisted future President Bill Clinton to help end the conflict. The authors also explore O’Dwyer’s close bond with his brother William, who was mayor of New York City after World War II, and the enduring respect O’Dwyer gained from those around him.

Polner is a public affairs officer at NYU and a former reporter for Newsday. He co-wrote “The Man Who Saved New York” and “Three Men in a Room.” Tubridy, a freelance writer, writes about Irish-American history and runs the blog A Boat Against the Current.

The book was praised by many in the literary world. Malachy McCourt, author of A Monk Swimming, called it “a compelling, eloquent and insightful biography of a giant of the modern progressive movement.” Denis Hamill, a former columnist for the New York Daily News, described it as “an excellent and important portrait” of a man of principle and integrity.

Miriam Nyhan Gray of the African American Irish Diaspora Network praised the biography as “much needed” and praised Polner and Tubridy for their portrayal of O’Dwyer as a “defender of the underclass.” Former U.S. Representative Peter King also expressed his admiration for O’Dwyer’s “integrity and decency.”

Published by Cornell University Press on May 15, 2024, An Irish passion for justice is 472 pages long. The print edition is available for $36.95 and e-books can be purchased for $17.99.

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