Historian Tim Pat Coogan has stated that he was turned down twice for a visa in recent months by the American Embassy in Dublin and never received a proper explanation.
Coogan has long been a prominent defender of the United States against anti American sentiment and a major booster for the role of the Irish Diaspora in Irish affairs.
He was due to visit the U.S. to launch his new book ’The Famine Plot’ on the East Coast. The book is published by Palgrave MacMillan.
Speaking to the Irish Times at the launch of his book in Dublin he stated, “I was turned down on the first visa I applied for; [the second time] they told me I had gone through the wrong website and I was refunded the money.”
He said his third application remained in limbo.
“I got [the Department of] Foreign Affairs to check it out and they got an apologetic thing back from the embassy and they said Mr Coogan has done all the right things,” he added. “They said there must be someone with the same name on a [no entry] list somewhere.”
IrishCentral first revealed that Coogan, the 77-year-old historian who is one of Ireland’s best known media figures, had been turned down by the American Embassy despite a direct appeal to Ambassador Dan Rooney.
He is one of Ireland's best known historical writers, authoring such books as Ireland Since the Rising (1966), The IRA (1970), On the Blanket (1980), Wherever Green is Worn (2000), Ireland in the Twentieth Century (2003).
He has written widely acclaimed biographies of both De Valera and Collins. He is a former editor of the Irish Press newspaper.
He is one of the best known Irish in the U.S. and has made numerous visits here on book tours and meeting Irish American leaders.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Donegal6 | Nov 30, 2012, 03:38 PM EST
Just go to Mexico and walk across the border like with the thousands everyday. It is interesting that there may have been a motivation to not have him stir up the pot with his famine book. I would imagine the UK would not fair well under such scrutiny.
Mr. Boston99 | Nov 28, 2012, 05:16 PM EST
Of course pro Israeli Americans decide who cannot get a visa into the USA. I am surprised that anyone is ignorant of this most basic fact of life in the USA in the year 2012
zyxwvutsrqponml | Nov 27, 2012, 06:08 PM EST
The idea that no one really knows why the visa is being refused is nonsense. The American embassy isn't giving him a straight answer and someone there has to know. Unless the Irish media pursue the "why" of this story really hard the US government will never reveal what exactly the reasons are for this refusal.
Buffalobrave | Nov 25, 2012, 08:11 AM EST
The late Ted Kennedy was on the "no fly list." The paranoia in the US is out of control!
pilib04 | Nov 24, 2012, 05:32 PM EST
All right, Republicans can't have it both ways! First you claim Obama is anti-Israel and then in the next breath claim that the Israeli Government controls who is allowed a U.S. Visa. A bit paranoid I'd say. By the by, I am in full support of a Palestinian Homeland with complete sovereignty and condemn the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Israeli carpet-bombing of Gaza.
pilib04 | Nov 24, 2012, 05:28 PM EST
There are thousands of Tim Coogans in the USA and around the world. Most likely has to do with the "no entry" or "no fly" lists.
seanomelb | Nov 23, 2012, 06:23 PM EST
Mr. Boston do you noy find that a tad petty. Afterall Israel is a terrorist state.
occassio | Nov 23, 2012, 01:56 PM EST
Mr. Boston99. I agree wholeheartedly. I’m surprised that President Higgins wasn’t roundly refused entry to the U.S. after the publication of his book, “Causes for Concern” and his vocal disagreements (particularly with Michael Graham) regarding Gaza(p. 264) and the passive stance of the free world against the obliteration of the Palestinians.
Mr. Boston99 | Nov 23, 2012, 08:05 AM EST
There is only one reason why this ever occurs. So I looked up Mr. Coogan's comments on Israel and sure enuff find the reason he is being denied entryIn June of 2010 he wrote an open letter to the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, published in the Independent, he could no longer support the state of Israel (following the killing of several people on the flotilla for Gaza)
Murph46 | Nov 23, 2012, 07:56 AM EST
I have read his book the "Troubles" found it to be very informative ,and don't have a clue why he should be denied.
seamus60 | Nov 23, 2012, 07:28 AM EST
Silling. Half the world panders to them, not through love but rather because of wall street. They sneeze the rest of the world gets the flu.
IrelandNorth | Nov 23, 2012, 06:37 AM EST
Might UKs Foreign & Commonwealth Office be exerting undue influence over its former colonists in Georgetown, apropos a scholarly citizen of an insular neighbour they insist on imperiorising? Did Icelandic ash cloud really cut short BOs planned 24 hr overnighter in Hibernia last year? Or was Brittania a tad disconcerted at being upstaged by an insular neighbour she considers her political subordinate? On being re-elected, does BO no longer need Irish-America anymore than GB needs to be reminded of her dark imperial shadow? Airbrushing the inconvenient truth of the Irish Shoa out of global folk memory will neither heal diplomatic wounds or promote the commonweal!
Redneck56 | Nov 23, 2012, 06:30 AM EST
Well there's your first mistake Silling. Americans are NOT a race. We're made up of MANY different races.
Silling | Nov 23, 2012, 03:11 AM EST
I am an author and I was refused a visa to go to America. My book had a poem in it called " Scars and Gripes ". The Americans are totally stuffed as a race and why the Irish pander to them is a bloody mystery.
saraindc | Nov 22, 2012, 04:21 PM EST
Its a mess, we get that but surely they should be making sure he has the visa BEFORE he goes setting up all these book signings and meetings in the USA. We all know how complicated visas for the USA are, anyone smart makes sure they have their visa in order BEFORE booking flights, fixing meetings and attending events - its logical. No matter how important you are (and he is important), its still a matter of using your head so seems to be stupidity on both sides of this one!!
seamus60 | Nov 22, 2012, 04:18 PM EST
Something going on when a man of his standing is being treated like this. Could they really be so concerned at what he might say about something or someone when in the USA. We know the mans no physical threat and most likely carries travel insurance should his age be a factor. lol
seanomelb | Nov 22, 2012, 04:18 PM EST
Hire an immigration lawyer what a load of bull. You only hire a lawyer when you have been denied a visa or a building permit. Somebody out there in the U.S> does not want Coogan in the states.
Stiofain | Nov 22, 2012, 01:38 PM EST
Joe Kelsall: What does your post have to do with TPC visa?
seamus60 | Nov 22, 2012, 01:29 PM EST
Joe. with ancestors like that, would you not put a word in for Tim Pat. lol
seamus60 | Nov 22, 2012, 01:21 PM EST
Niall. Emigration attorney ???? Ye just go into the Embassy and they help you fill out whatever is required.And you`re embarrassed.
curtisjohnson | Nov 22, 2012, 01:06 PM EST
"Dan Rooney of "Immaculate Reception" fame has quite a bit of clout. Mr. Coogan teed off someone high in the political food chain." All of these decisions are controlled by the insular and waspish entrenched state department bureaucracy - they have little respect for ambassadors to minor nations (see their belligerent behavior toward Jean Kennedy Smith as soon as she opened her mouth about the occupied 6). All it probably took was a call from one of their counterparts in the terror state government.
Joe Kelsall | Nov 22, 2012, 12:48 PM EST
*The earliest traceable ancestor in this country is (Moses) Aaron Senior (1690/1-1736), a wealthy jeweller of Rathbone Place, London, and later of Red Lyon (or Lion) Square, Holborn, London, who was naturalized by Act of Parliament 12 Sep 1723 (Patent Roll 10 Geo 1 part 3 No 11). He had three children, Abraham, Rachel and Henrietta, before he married his second or third wife, Elizabeth Baldrick nee Halsey* in 1727, mother of Nassau Thomas Senior, my ancestor, and Ascanius William Senior. The family tree in my possession refers to him as a 'native of Spain' but this is almost certainly incorrect (I think this was a time when they tried to conceal their Jewish origins)
Joe Kelsall | Nov 22, 2012, 12:37 PM EST
Oh. It was a holocaust alright and abetted by British economic advisor,Nassau Senior a jew of Spanish extraction, whose father was Aaron Moses Senior.
Niall O'Leary | Nov 22, 2012, 12:37 PM EST
He filled in the wrong form?!?! How pathetic. So if he needed his house redesigned he would probably do it himself as well and make a balls of it also. If you need a visa, hire an immigration attorney! If you need your house redesigned, hire an architect! The moral of this story is if you want something, go the right way about it, or you will fail. If you just want to see your name in the paper, do something stupid and you will be featured. There are plenty Irish organizations out there at home and abroad to help people who need any kind of advice. This story is frankly embarrassing.
Paul Hogan | Nov 22, 2012, 12:28 PM EST
All this Gobshite Talk. People Just do not understand.Rooney has nothing to do with it.Grow Up.
cillowen | Nov 22, 2012, 11:42 AM EST
troika 2 are left shivering in fear
cillowen | Nov 22, 2012, 11:41 AM EST
holocaust
maryosullivan | Nov 22, 2012, 11:07 AM EST
Try calling it what it was, Tim Pat, it wasn't a famine but a holocaust
PhlutiePhan | Nov 22, 2012, 10:49 AM EST
Dan Rooney of "Immaculate Reception" fame has quite a bit of clout. Mr. Coogan teed off someone high in the political food chain.
kerthialfad | Nov 22, 2012, 10:39 AM EST
You don't mention for what kind of a visa TPC applied. He can always get a tourist visa and stay 3 months.
Oldwildrover | Nov 22, 2012, 10:11 AM EST
Perhaps "John Bull" had something to do with it ....
quixotic | Nov 22, 2012, 10:09 AM EST
Tim Pat Coogan denied!!!!???? Are these people crazy? I have read all his books and the hitory as one who lived so close to it and studied it so much is invaluable. Like all history accounts it is subject to review and cross-checking but the lack of respect is frightening.
donal1951 | Nov 22, 2012, 09:57 AM EST
I realize the US Department of State has a lot on its plate right now, but one would hope someone with decision-making powers would intervene with US Embassy, Dublin, and straighten this matter out to Mr Coogan's satisfaction.