50 Comments

• Lambert58 | Dec 23, 2012, 06:10 PM EST

  That's a shame. I really like his books. Any particular reason given for this? He's been here before. It seems odd he would be denied now.

• zyxwvutsrqponml | Nov 27, 2012, 05:31 PM EST

  The story doesn't make it clear whether it is the U.S. government or the Irish government that is refusing him the visa.

• Tooreenagrena | Nov 23, 2012, 07:42 AM EST

  I think you will find the answer in the british government calling in a favour

• curtisjohnson | Nov 22, 2012, 10:30 PM EST

  Big Willy seems to repeat the same cartoon history in response to every article - in this case it relates to nothing.

• seanomelb | Nov 22, 2012, 05:41 PM EST

  Snivveling Will hamilton's ignorance of Ireland. The king of Leinster was more than a tribal chief and Coogan is a thorn in the side of the terrorist British establishment. Little Willie is jealous because his Scottish ancestors went cap in hand to an english king and begged forgiveness, sour grapes old boy.

• Will Hamilton | Nov 22, 2012, 03:28 PM EST

  Poor oul Tim Pat, who looks as far from a famine as a lake looks from a drought, can't get a visa. It's all part of the Plastic Paddy Land "800 years of English oppression". That started when an Irish tribal chief went the Henry II to ask for help knocking off some of his fellow Irish rivals in return for his title. The invited guests who arrived heavily armed were French speaking Anglo Normans who were occupying the English. When they attacked Dublin it was held by Viking Norsemen. Henry II was given authority to rule Ireland by a Roman Pope whose organisation is still occupying the island today.

• Will Hamilton | Nov 22, 2012, 03:09 PM EST

  Looking at the size of them I think they were afraid he'd cause a famine over there.

• curtisjohnson | Nov 22, 2012, 12:59 PM EST

  "I was talking to a couple of English lads several weeks ago, and they were amazed to hear that my father's generation absolutely hated the British. I explained why, the 800 years of occupation, the works of Oliver Cromwell, the behavior of the Brits during the recurring famine, etc. etc., etc. They had never heard of all that. With that in mind, Tim Pat Coogan's situation and the on-going campaign of the Brits to deny history fits right in." The post-colonial self hatred in Ireland is strong and heavily exploited by the Dublin establishment. Thus any "historical" work which exculpates britain and villifies indigenous nationalism is lauded as an intellectual achievement no matter how gimmicky.

• averagejoewa | Nov 22, 2012, 10:46 AM EST

  More evidence that Obama hates the Irish.

• J.D.McCaffrey | Nov 22, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

  I was talking to a couple of English lads several weeks ago, and they were amazed to hear that my father's generation absolutely hated the British. I explained why, the 800 years of occupation, the works of Oliver Cromwell, the behavior of the Brits during the recurring famine, etc. etc., etc. They had never heard of all that. With that in mind, Tim Pat Coogan's situation and the on-going campaign of the Brits to deny history fits right in.

• pilib04 | Nov 22, 2012, 09:29 AM EST

  How many of the 30 writers here took the time to post a letter to a member of congress requesting and explanation. How about a letter to the President. How many called their Congressional representative or senator? Thought so! If you do decide to write, don't waste your time on an email. One letter or phone call is worth the equivilant of 200 emails or thereabouts.

• seamus60 | Nov 22, 2012, 06:33 AM EST

  Sorry Seano. Was just pointing out that that theres no problem getting in if they know you`re going to say what they want to hear.

• maireadinmelb | Nov 22, 2012, 03:48 AM EST

  irishcoffeekid, if he is being paid to speak - he is working - so he will need a visa then it becomes an issue as to what he is earning and what visa he requested! Not enough information in the article to make a determination!

• WoundedKnee | Nov 22, 2012, 02:24 AM EST

  "He was refused a visa because he exceeded the historical baggage limit.". That, a good one, Hamilton. Finally someone on this site who is nearly as witty as me.

• seanomelb | Nov 22, 2012, 01:34 AM EST

  I have no problem with what you say seamus

• curtisjohnson | Nov 21, 2012, 10:40 PM EST

  "The pro British lobby is alive and well in the U.S" No doubt - the british terror state fears nothing as much as the truth and will go to any length to obscure it.

• cillowen | Nov 21, 2012, 10:01 PM EST

  the book is on Amazon - truth is a dangerous to freedom loving phoneys - This review of Pat's book and as to why his visa was denied has something to do with what this reviewer remarked upon "the role played by the English government in the potato famine of the 1860's that changed not only the course of Irish history but of the world as well with more than 1 million Irish leaving the emerald isle for Europe, Canada and the United States. While Coogan attempts to link the famine with a genocidal tragedy of Jewish plight the crux of the book rests on the idea that the British starved the Irish through free market activities. These include continuing exports rather than keeping food in-house and following a draconian Malthusian perspective on population control. Loss is tracked not only in the dead and the immigrated but those that were never born due to lack of food as he tries to make the case for genocide.

• mairint | Nov 21, 2012, 09:35 PM EST

  The United States of America seems to suffer bad bouts of constipation. Tim Pat Coogan for heavens sake ! Will Obama have to apply for a Visa to visit Ireland again?? Incidentally, if you ever visit the memorial display in Cobh - of the emigrants, coffin ships, famine time, you will notice that the fact that all other food being produced in Ireland at the time was being shipped to England is not mentioned in the memorial. Yes, it was genocide.

• seamus60 | Nov 21, 2012, 05:49 PM EST

  Irishcoffeekid. You are right about people assuming. They can reject you and are not in any way liable to give a reason.

• seamus60 | Nov 21, 2012, 05:46 PM EST

  Seano. Makes you wonder why Sinn feiners have no problem getting in though. Even the ones with records, when ordinary people who don`t tow the party line with no records are being turned away. These records are deemed as criminal by most yet deemed as political if the face fits.

• seanomelb | Nov 21, 2012, 05:34 PM EST

  The price for telling the truth. The pro British lobby is alive and well in the U.S.

• puffin | Nov 21, 2012, 04:10 PM EST

  A biased and unreliable journalist,as can be seen by his Wherever green is born,which somehow manages to ignore the contribution Henry Ford made to America,however he did make some contribution to the peace process,strange that he should be denied accsess to the land of the free,Is there something we don't about Mr coogan

• bunkerisland | Nov 21, 2012, 03:45 PM EST

  Help? What are the reasons for this denial? More details are needed. Who makes these decisions? Tim Pat is a giant of a man, literally and figuratively and a skilled and detailed author. Are you implying Dan Rooney is responsible for scuttling this trip? Seems if Gerry & Martin can fly in no reason to deny this man. We need more information before admonishing various state agencies in the States.

• mlchellus | Nov 21, 2012, 03:37 PM EST

  For the TRUTH of our ancestors.....Follow - FB site - Irish Holocaust - Push to Educate the Facts. To keep Coogan out of the US and keep the real story of our ancestors from being told is an injustice in the order of the US citizens not knowing of the USS Liberty massacre.

• seamusdenais | Nov 21, 2012, 03:10 PM EST

  MI6 hate him. He's telling the truth for too long about them. He would educate people dangerously.

• Joe Kelsall | Nov 21, 2012, 03:03 PM EST

  Maybe TimPat Coogan was going to explain how a Spanish Jew called Nassau Senior organised the death of 1.000.000 Irishmen over a famine winter. (The Great Hunger 1845-49 Cecil Woodham Smith)

• irishcoffeekid | Nov 21, 2012, 02:15 PM EST

  this story falls short of explaining what type of visa he was requesting as his irish citizenship alone allows him to travel to the USA without a Visa so clearly the issue isnt him, its more to do with the Visa he requested. I'm Irish and I'm a recent US citizen but seriously people have to stop assuming they have a right or guarantee of a visa coming to the USA - there are rules, follow them, if you don't this is what happens, if you do, it works out just fine!!

• Will Hamilton | Nov 21, 2012, 01:15 PM EST

  He was refused a visa because he exceeded the historical baggage limit.

• Frosty38 | Nov 21, 2012, 01:13 PM EST

  If he is not following the rules why should he. He is no better then a less popular person

• Curitiba | Nov 21, 2012, 01:09 PM EST

  interesting, I mean.

• Curitiba | Nov 21, 2012, 01:08 PM EST

  It would be interested to know the real reason why Coogan was denied a visa.

• Mayolady | Nov 21, 2012, 12:57 PM EST

  For sure, this is a recommend- ation to buy this book on Amazon. I have! The Brits want to suppress the truth about their genocide. mayo lady

• Mayolady | Nov 21, 2012, 12:53 PM EST

  This is outrageous. The British government is very active in controlling and suppressing any criticism of their genocide 150 years ago in the Great Starvation-- a man-made famine. The Irish Republic's government has many are "rewarded" in various ways to suppress any articulate and thorough discussion of Famine. Americans must demand this be reversed. Mayolady

• edmundburke | Nov 21, 2012, 12:47 PM EST

  I am appalled. For the edification of some of the commenters here, Coogan is probably the foremost writer of popular history in Ireland. His biographies of Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera are must reads for any serious student of either man's legacy. A career journalist in Ireland whose father was a key person in the founding of the Gardai Soichana in the 1920s (if I recall correctly), Coogan has written numerous histories ranging from the history of modern Ireland to the Irish diaspora, all deeply researched and footnoted. Although he comes from a Fina Gael family, his contacts led to making him one of the top journalists on IRA activity in Northern Ireland, leading him to write several books on the contemporary IRA. His first book on the history of the IRA is considered one of the most authoritative on the subject, not the least due in part to his access to sources within the IRA. One might suppose that his contacts with the IRA may be a factor in the denial of his visa, and if so, reveals the absurdity of the denial. This is a personal loss for me as I was looking forward to attending one of his presentations here in the States. I hope the issue is resolved in his favor before its to late. (The State Department and the US Gov are open for business on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving -- my uncle resolved his own visa problem in Dublin on that day in the past) Niall O'Dowd, use some of your clout to see justice done in this matter quickly!!

• jomu | Nov 21, 2012, 12:45 PM EST

  well ciaradexy that was the way things happened then people in scottish highlands were burned out of there homes and driven onto emigrant ships, and landed in canada with very little,,kids were sent to australia for to us now petty crimes, thry were not all irish ..scottish ,english ,welsh etc all suffered then...we think to much about the past we were not there..move on

• irishmexican43 | Nov 21, 2012, 12:08 PM EST

  Hello, Irish born American Citizen here. I do not know much about the author but this case seems like a question of FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION or something like that. For a country that has shed so much blood for freedom this could be a terrible contradiction and a disgrace to our Irish heritage.

• ciaradexy | Nov 21, 2012, 12:07 PM EST

  Jomu, the difference was that the British and the well to do Irish, exported all our food to Britain and left the Irish to starve. We had plenty of food here but the Irish werent allowed to eat it which is why millions starved and emigrated.

• cillowen | Nov 21, 2012, 11:37 AM EST

  the troika partnership in slavery don't allow for the freedoms these phoneys spout about. Muzzlers whose efforts are masterful thus far.

• jomu | Nov 21, 2012, 11:24 AM EST

  well as i am scottish i must admit i have never heard of the gentleman,just new to this, but what a lot of people dont know at the time of the "famine", most people in uk where not much better of, but i dont see why a author like him should be refused a visa when you consider some of the rascals who have been granted one...

• jamesie | Nov 21, 2012, 11:13 AM EST

  Does anyone know why Mr Coogan was refused a visa? There are very clearly defined grounds as to why a person can be or should be refused a visa at a US Embassy.The reasons range from being a criminal or a terrorist to being not qualified for the type of visa. Hard to see Mr Coogan in any of these categories.

• Silling | Nov 21, 2012, 11:06 AM EST

  Not having read the book, I am unable to comment as yet, but I expect the Blue Shirt government has something to do with it.

• Murph46 | Nov 21, 2012, 11:01 AM EST

  They used the blight to create genocide.Had food for Irish only if they took oath of fealty to crown!

• mayoman | Nov 21, 2012, 10:46 AM EST

  Absurd.

• donal1951 | Nov 21, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

  It is a blot on the copybook of the person or persoms at the USA embassy in Dublin who denied a visa to a well-know reputable scholar of the Easter Rising and the Troubles. I have not always agreed with Mr. Coogan, but the disagreements have always been over scholarly issues. He certainly is no "terrorist" deserving of a visa denial and never has been.

• seamus60 | Nov 21, 2012, 10:00 AM EST

  SF mayor of a City in the North. A mayor who has a new found ability to condemn Republicans who hold fast to the proclamation. The same Proclamation Adams is accusing politicians from the 26 of neglecting. Its all getting very confusing, even to those in the American Embassy by the looks of it.

• seamus60 | Nov 21, 2012, 09:55 AM EST

  Kevin Campbell just back from USA . Served numerous sentences for political related offences in the North. Had no problem. But then again Tim Pat isn`t a

• Portia777 | Nov 21, 2012, 09:27 AM EST

  USA is controlled by UK and still pays taxes to the crown.

• ancavker | Nov 21, 2012, 08:57 AM EST

  Shocking!

• like2tweet | Nov 21, 2012, 08:35 AM EST

  Disgraceful American Embassy in Dublin should be made explain that decision

• IrelandNorth | Nov 21, 2012, 08:25 AM EST

  Never would have happened to Dev!