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Body of Irishman found in rubble of UN building in Haiti

Family devastated as Andrew Grene confirmed dead in earthquake

By
DONAL THORNTON,
IrishCentral.com

Published Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 11:56 AM
Updated Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 12:15 PM

 

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Andrew Grene: Family devastated as Irishman confirmed dead in Haiti earthquake
Andrew Grene: Family devastated as Irishman confirmed dead in Haiti earthquake

The body of Irishman Andrew Grene has been found in the wreckage of the UN building in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince.

Grene was working in Haiti as a special assistant to Hedi Annabi, the head of the UN mission who was killed in the earthquake.

Grene, 44, who held joint Irish and US citizenship, was married to County Down native Jennifer. They have three teenage children.

Grene was the twin brother of Greg Grene, the founder of the well-known Celtic rock group The Prodigals.
 
His friend, and Irish Voice rock columnist Mike Farragher today paid tribue to Grene on his Facebook page.

"RIP to Andrew Grene...father of 3, husband, son, twin brother to my friend Greg. Andrew died in the UN building collapse, trying to make life better for Haitians. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Grene family and all those who have lost loved ones in Haiti."

Grene was born in Chicago but grew up living between County Cavan and the U.S. as a child. He lived on a small farm near Belturbet in County Cavan.
 
Grene attended the University of Chicago and then went to Trinity College Dublin. He then attended the Medill School of Journalism and won a national journalist award for investigative journalism on patronage in the Illinois court system.
 
He worked as a speechwriter for the former UN secretary general Boutros Boutros Ghali and then moved into peacekeeping strategy.
 
Grene's father was born in Ireland and became a professor at the University of Chicago. His half brother Nicholas Grene is currently a professor of English at Trinity College Dublin.
 
His mother Ethel is an emergency room doctor and is American born and bred.

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3 Comments

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Posted by jacersisityourself on Jan 20, 2010, 06:51 PM EST
Andrew Grene was an ordinary man going about his work for the United Nations of our world. Our world shakes in a certain part of it and he ends up dead. Yet I live to post on IC or anywhere online. Ta mor-bhron orm. Ar dheis De go meidh a anam.
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Posted by cabbagehead44 on Jan 20, 2010, 12:54 PM EST
How sad that someone in the prime of their life with so much potential for changing things for the better is lost! My condolences to his family on the loss of such a caring and worthy humanitarian!
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Posted by jsobkowiak on Jan 20, 2010, 10:03 AM EST
I am very sad about this poor young gentleman. I will say prayers for him and his family at this most difficult time.
 


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