Great Neck Library Author Event: An Irish Passion for Justice: The Life of Rebel New York Attorney Paul O’Dwyer by Michael Tubridy and Rob Polner

An Irish Passion for Justice reveals the life and work of Paul O’Dwyer, the Irish-born and quintessentially New York activist, politician, and lawyer who fought in the courts and at the barricades for the rights of the downtrodden and the marginalized throughout the 20th century.

Robert Polner and Michael Tubridy recount O’Dwyer’s legal crusades, political campaigns, and civic interactions, deftly describing how he cut a principled and progressive path through New York City’s political machinery and America’s reactionary Cold War landscape. Polner and Tubridy’s dynamic, penetrating depiction showcase O’Dwyer’s consistent left-wing politics and defense of accused Communists in the labor movement, which exposed him to sharp criticism within and beyond the Irish-American community. Even so, his fierce beliefs, loyalty to his brother William, who was the city’s mayor after World War II, and influence in Irish-American circles also inspired respect and support. Recognized by his gentle brogue and white pompadour, he fought for the creation of Israel, organized Black voters during the Civil Rights movement, and denounced the Vietnam War as an insurgent Democratic candidate for US Senate. Finally, he enlisted future president Bill Clinton to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. As the authors demonstrate, O’Dwyer was both a man of his time and a politician beyond his years.

An Irish Passion for Justice tells an enthralling and inspiring New York immigrant story that uncovers how one person, shaped by history and community, can make a difference in the world by holding true to their ideals.

Michael Tubridy is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Irish America and The Recorder. He writes about Irish and Irish-American history in his blog A Boat Against the Current.

Robert Polner is a public affairs officer at NYU, and a former reporter for New York Newsday. He is coauthor of The Man Who Saved New York (winner of the Empire State History Book Award) and Three Men in a Room. Robert grew up in Great Neck, where his mother, Louise, remains a homeowner. His late father, Murray Polner, was an author and an editor on such topics as contemporary Jewish life, baseball history, and the plight of war veterans (and a frequent user of the GN library system!).

The event will be at the Great Neck Library, 159 Bayview Avenue, Great Neck, NY on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Registration is not required. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org.