Peter Courtney never forgot where he came from
PDX HIBERNIAN INDEPENDENT Volume Two. Number Thirty-One. 18 July 2024
More than an email. Less than a newspaper. In your email box the first and third Thursday morning of every month. Published by The Portland Hibernian Society.
NEXT MEETING - Thursday August 15 at Kells Restaurant on SW Second. No host dinner at six, meeting at seven.
SENATOR PETER COURTNEY – WE ‘LL NOT SEE HIS LIKE AGAIN IN THE LEGISLATURE
“To be Irish is to know that in the end the world will break your heart.”
Senator Peter Courtney, the longest-serving member of the Oregon Legislature ever, often shared Senator Patrick Moynihan’s quote.
He was born and baptized in Philadelphia in 1943. The end came on Tuesday. Unofficial cause of death: heart failure, after a years-long battle with cancer. Though his family moved around in the early years and his mother had Parkinson’s, Catholic schools were an important constant in his early years.
“He credited the nuns for helping mold him into the respected public speaker he became,” according to this obituary in the Salem Statesman Journal, his hometown newspaper.
Peter Michael Coleman Courtney served in the House and Senate for a total of 38 years. A record. He served as President of the Senate for 20 years. Also, a record. Sen. Tim Knopp, a Bend Republican who often squared off with Courtney, called him a mentor and “one of the most important elected officials and political figures in Oregon history,” according to OPB. Courtney could be curmudgeonly, but no one ever doubted his passion for helping people (and the pets people love). Ultimately, dysfunction in the Oregon Legislature seems to have fulfilled Pat Moynihan’s prophecy, but Courtney never lost sight of the bright side. “I’ve been hurt. I’ve been angry. I’ve had nasty things done to me, and I’ve seen a lot. But I must say along the way somewhere I got blessed.”
Senator Peter Courtney using his considerable gift of persuasion with Governor John Kitzhaber. Courtesy of The Oregonian.
Funeral services will be held at Saint Mary’s Church in Mount Angel at a date and time to be determined.
PDX HI EXCLUSIVE - TWO WHO KNEW PETER COURTNEY WELL
Long time Portland Hibernian Brian Doherty, who as a partner with the Miller, Nash law firm knew Courtney well offered this tribute.
“Peter would have been a great seanchaí. His speeches at the podium in the Senate brought out his ability to go from anger to humor so smoothly it was always a great listen. On the personal side, when we visited, he and I always first talked about our children. (One of his sons is a priest.) When I brought a client in with me to discuss a piece of legislation, he would berate me as a lace curtain Irish and he was from the shanty West Virginia Coal Country. Once we left his office, the client would say, “I thought you said he was a friend.” He was. Yet no lobbyist I know came out of a meeting with Peter with any certainty of how he would vote on a bill they discussed, unless his name was on the sponsor section. I tried many times to get him to go to Ireland, to trace his roots. I don’t think he crossed many oceans in his time as a politician. He was never boring and deeply cared about children and education issues. He was a regular at Church each Sunday.”
Former State Rep. Margaret Doherty legislated alongside Courtney for years in Salem.
“Peter was very proud of his Irishness, and he was Irish stubborn!! In the years I worked with Senator Courtney, I was always aware of him being a proud Oregonian and a proud Irishman. Both were very important to him and contributed to his successes.”
Senator Peter Courtney using his considerable gift of persuasion with Governor John Kitzhaber. Courtesy of The Oregonian.
SHOULD THE IRISH ABROAD – INCLUDING THOSE WITH IRISH CITIZENSHIP - GET THE VOTE?
Giving the right to vote in Republic of Ireland elections to the “Irish abroad” is an idea that keeps coming around. The latest? This opinion piece from Joe Hogan in the Irish Post. “It is a debt we owe. It is an important acknowledgment of Irishness and of those who, historically and currently, contribute so much to who and what we are.” One approach that’s been debated is allowing “the Irish abroad” to vote for President of Ireland, who doesn’t hold anywhere near the powers of the American president.
SPEAKING OF POLITICS IN IRELAND
Did you notice what happened in the recent elections in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland? “The combined scalping of the DUP and the onward march of the Sinn Féin vote was the story of the night.” Sinn Fein did not have a good election in the Republic of Ireland a few weeks before, but in the North, when Brits voted to toss the Conservative party, they scored some significant wins. “The recovery by Mary Lou McDonald's party after June's disappointing MEP (Member of the European Parliament in Brussels) and local government elections in the Republic will remind the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governing coalition that the specter of Sinn Féin as a potential Irish government party, to borrow a phrase - hasn't gone away you know.” Irish Post.
BIGGEST LOSER – Ian Paisley Jr.
BIGGEST WINNER - “Conor Murphy,Sinn Fein's Stormont (NI Parliament) economy minister, laid a marker for the Labour government by saying the results showed an electoral trend in support of Irish unity.
He urged all sides to engage in dialogue about the region’s constitutional future.” The Guardian.
HURLING - CORK AND CLARE SET TO CLASH SUNDAY FOR ALL IRELAND TITLE
For those familiar with the ancient sport of hurling, no introduction is necessary to the All Ireland Hurling Final this Sunday (July 21) at Croke Park in Dublin. “As we anticipate this epic clash, the stakes are incredibly high for both sides. This final promises to be a thrilling encounter for hurling enthusiasts worldwide."
Cork is favored after beating Limerick, winers of the last four All Ireland Hurling titles, to make it to the Final.
"There'll be huge support up there from two mad hurling counties. It's a 50:50 game. Hopefully we'll get the bounce of the ball on the day,” said Pat Ryan, Cork Manager.
“There will be battles all over the field, every line of the field and they'll continue right through the afternoon,” promises Clare manager Brian Lohan.
NEW IRELAND MEN'S FOOTBALL MANAGER BEAT ENGLAND IN 2016
As the 2026 World Cup in America and Mexico and Canada approaches, it can’t have hurt the newest Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson’s prospects that his Iceland National football squad knocked off England at the 2016 Euro Championship. (England, of course, just lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain.) He’s been named the latest manager of the underperforming Boys in Green.
FOR SALE - RORY GALLAGHER’S GUITAR
William Rory Gallagher, born in Ballyshannon, Donegal and raised in Cork City, is the greatest guitar player you’ve perhaps never heard of. His sunburst Stratocaster guitar is going to be auctioned and is expected to sell for a million pounds. The back story of Rory’s (he dropped the William) guitar is a classic. His ma was willing to spend only twelve pounds on a guitar for her musically precocious son.
"His dream ambition was to have a guitar like Buddy Holly. This Stratocaster was in the store as a used instrument, it was 100 pounds. In today's money you couldn't even compare; you might as well say it was a million pounds. My mother was saying we'll be in debt for the rest of our lives and Rory said, 'Well, actually with a guitar like this I can play both parts, rhythm and lead, we won't need a rhythm player so I can earn more money and pay it off. So the Stratocaster became his partner for life if you like."
That’s his brother and manager Donal Gallagher.
Rory sold 30 million LPs worldwide and almost joined the Rolling Stones. If you’d like to hear how the Stratocaster sounded check this out.
NEXT YEAR'S IRISH THEATER TOUR
The demand for bookings with the popular Irish Theater Tour from Portland is such that Gemma Whelan and Adam Liberman are taking reservations for next year’s tour. This year’s expedition is sold out. Here’s a message from Gemma about the 2025 tour. “The sixth annual Irish Theatre Tour continues its strong tradition of exceptional Irish theatre, discussions with leading playwrights and artists, and special events and activities. Adam and I look forward to having you join us!” For more information please see https://shanganapress.com/irish-theatre-tour/
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If you can assist the cause, please send a check made out to PHS to our treasurer Tim Hennessy - 11616 SE John Thomas Court - Happy Valley OR - 97086.
Go raibh maith agat.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The tragedy of the English conquest of Ireland in the 17th century is that the Irish can never forget. And the English can never remember.”
