Lecture by Irish author Patrick O'Sullivan Greene
Join us at the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco for a talk (45-minutes) by Patrick O'Sullivan Greene on 24th January 2024. The theme is 'Revolution to Royalty - The making of an Irish-American Princess'. See the summary of the lecture to the right.
Patrick's new book 'Revolution at the Waldorf: America and the Irish War of Independence' tells the real history of the money, power and political battles that defined Irish-America for a generation.
Biography - Patrick O’Sullivan Greene
Patrick is a qualified Chartered Accountant who has worked in business and finance for most of his career, and is back in his native Killarney after living in Dublin, London, New York and France. He has written articles for the Irish Times, appeared on the David McWilliams Podcast, and has been interviewed on national and local media.
Patrick published his first book, Crowdfunding the Revolution: The First Dáil Loan and the Battle for Irish Independence, in 2020. Critically well-received, the book was reviewed by Paschal Donohoe, Irish Minister for Finance, in History Ireland:
“The quality of writing and the pace of storytelling ensure that this is not a niche or specialist work of history. This is a compelling read. I wish I had written it myself”.
Patrick was invited to make a courtesy visit to present the book to President Michael D. Higgins.
His second book, Revolution at the Waldorf: America and the Irish War of Independence, was launched in Ireland on 2nd December, and was released in the United States in September 2023.
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Click HERE for details and podcasts by the author and information on his recent book, 'Revolution at the Waldorf: America and the Irish War of Independence' - the real history of the money, power and political battles that defined Irish-America for a generation.
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Lecture theme
From Revolution to Royalty - The making of an Irish-American Princess
Patrick O'Sullivan Greene will weave into his lecture the experiences of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Judge Daniel F. Cohalan and Jack Kelly (father of Princess Grace) among others.
Summary
In his debut novel, This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that Amory Blaine, modelled on Fitzgerald himself, 'suspected that being Irish was being somewhat common.' Fitzgerald's Irish heritage, and lack of independent wealth, manifested itself in an inferiority complex and feeling like a parvenu in Anglo-Saxon American society. This Side of Paradise was published to critical and commercial success in 1920, just nine years before the birth of Grace Patricia Kelly.
Fitzgerald did not challenge the roots of his insecurity in his writing, but fortunately for the young Grace, with her 'common' heritage, others would devote their lives to the elevation of those of the Irish race in America. They opposed anti-Irish caricatures in literature, and stage-Irish drama, and pro-English revisionist interpretations of American history; highlighting the contribution of the Irish in the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War. They supported the fight for an independent Ireland to remove the stigma attached to the Irish race that would exist as long as the homeland was under English rule. Daniel F. Cohalan, justice of the supreme court of New York and Irish-American leader, declared in 1920: ‘Because of our Irish blood, we are handicapped in America and, consequently, have an interest in the freedom of the race.'
In the same year, Jack Kelly, a young Philadelphia bricklayer and talented rower, one of ten children born of Irish emigrants, commenced his own personal crusade on behalf of the Irish in America. Refused entry to compete in the prestigious Diamond Sculls at the Henley Royal regatta in England, for reasons including a rule excluding anyone 'who is or ever has been...a mechanic, artisan or labourer', he went on to defeat the winner of the race in the 1920 Olympic final, in one of the closest races in Olympic history. The future self-made millionaire and politician, and father of Grace Patricia Kelly, would continue his crusade on behalf of Irish-America throughout his business, political and family life.