John Hume in America

Maurice Fitzpatrick is a film director and author. In 2017, he wrote, directed, and produced the documentary feature film, In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America. He is the 2020 Heimbold Chair of Irish Studies at Villanova University.

"Documentary filmmaker Fitzpatrick makes an important contribution to the literature on the peace process in Northern Ireland, focusing on John Hume, one of the principals in the long work to bring peace and gain support for the agreement. . . . The book . . . offers a good introduction to the Troubles and the peace process in Northern Ireland through the role of a central proponent of peace." —Choice"A masterful study of how this son of the Bogside, with the help of the Irish Government, mobilized the power of successive Presidents of the United States." —Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minster) Leo Varadkar "John Humes' role in our efforts to bring peace to the Island of Ireland has been a profound and generous one. A man of great vision, he understood that consensus could only be achieved through respectful and meaningful dialogue. He was the moral architect of an inclusive peace process, which has shaped the Ireland we inhabit today. This publication provides a valuable insight into the work and legacy of John Hume, who will always be recalled as a dedicated and visionary peacemaker." —Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland "Maurice Fitzpatrick is a gifted storyteller. In this wonderful book, he shows how a man of peace and hope, John Hume, worked with Irish-American leaders to achieve his vision of a Northern Ireland liberated of old hatreds. The reader comes away with a clear picture of an underappreciated humanitarian and peacemaker." —Terry Golway, author of Being New York, Being Irish "A must read for anyone truly committed to the Cause of Peace and Reconciliation among troubled constituencies. John Hume embodied the courage, tenacity, and an awareness of the political realities, in living a lifetime dedicated to the cause of peace." —Charles F. Dougherty, U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania (1979–1983) "With this timely look at British, Irish, and American politics—and at John Hume, the man who brought them all together to bring peace to Northern Ireland—Maurice Fitzpatrick proves as talented with a pen as he is with a camera. Here is a vivid reminder of how difficult it was for even the best of men to teach shortsighted political leaders the folly of hatred, grievance, violence, and bigotry. Pray we don't return to those days again." —John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "John Hume was full of life and energy, a natural leader, a man who took courageous and personally dangerous positions all his life, in an effort to find a way forward in Northern Ireland. I am deeply gratified that a history of his work with American leaders has now been written." —Senator George J. Mitchell, from the foreword "A wonderful reminder of the strength in diplomacy and the close relationship between the United States and Northern Ireland." —Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives "This book should be mandatory reading for any student researching the so-called 'special relationship' between Britain and America. Maurice Fitzpatrick has demonstrated how, in contrast to earlier Irish nationalist leaders, John Hume successfully exploited the other longstanding special relationship between Ireland and America."—Dr. Thomas Dolan, Irish History Review"Maurice Fitzpatrick provides a portrait of John Hume based primarily on interviews he conducted with American politicians, diplomats, and other negotiators involved in the Northern Ireland peace process. Fitzpatrick should be commended for bringing together those who made important contributions to the Northern Ireland peace process to have them explain the role that Hume played."—Timothy J. White, Irish Political Studies

• AcknowledgementsForeword by Senator George J. MitchellPreface1. The Journey towards Politics, 1964–742. The American Dimension Unleashed3. The Growth of the Irish Machine in Washington4. Washington: Shifting Policy in London on Ireland, 1977–815. A Politics of Conscience: Human Rights and Democracy6. From Rejection to Acceptance7. Hume–Adams, 1985–88. Washington and Europe, 1988–939. The Political Process and the Peace Process, 1993–8Epilogue: Echoes Down the YearsAppendix: John Hume's Nobel LectureEndnotesIndex