Denis McDonough, the Irish American closest to President Obama

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Denis McDonough

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The Irish American closest to the president, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, 40, describes it as "a great blessing to work with Obama and for the American people.”

Denis McDonough is also chief of staff of the National Security Council (NSC). He works in a small office close by the president and is considered a key inner circle advisor.

In 1996, McDonough did part of his master’s thesis at Georgetown University on the Northern Troubles. “It was well into the Good Friday process and a very hopeful time,” he said in an interview with Lara Marlowe of The Irish Times.

He praises Gordon Brown and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their combined effort on the latest Northern Ireland agreement of February 5 on devolution of powers. He is direct in saying that the U.S. state department is in charge of Northern Ireland issues.

“Secretary Clinton did a great thing when she assumed the role of the envoy for herself. It underscores her commitment to it, and frankly it underscores the president’s commitment to it. They are in close touch on it.”

McDonough accompanied the first family to Hawaii last Christmas. He is six-feet-two, and frequently plays basketball with the president. He was first to inform him of the Haiti earthquake, after which Obama placed him in charge of post Earthquake planning and sent him to Haiti. He continues to play a key role in formulating foreign policy.

During the campaign he led a staff of over 300 policy advisers and was the key figure back then on Northern Ireland and the Irish American community. His grandparents emigrated from Galway; his mother's parents were O'Mahonys from Cork. He is also close to Irish Ambassador Michael Collins.

“When my mom and dad got married, they lived in south Boston, which is where the first six of my brothers were born. After that they moved to Minnesota, which is where the other five of us were born. So there’s 11 of us.”

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