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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Bin Laden death brings justice to still grieving Irish families -- Closure for those who lost loved ones on 9/11

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Bin Laden death brings justice to still grieving Irish families -- Closure for those who lost loved ones on 9/11

Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2011 at 11:44 PM

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Read more: A tribute to those Irish Americans we lost on 9/11

Read more: Bin Laden's death: good news that could have waited

When I heard they killed Osama bin Laden I thought of Cork native Ron Clifford.

Ron from Cork, lost his niece and his sister on 9-11, and was almost killed himself.

He was in the World Trade Center that day and narrowly escaped with his life when the planes overhead crashed into the Towers.

Incredibly, Ron Clifford's sister and niece were on one of the flights.

Since that day I know that Ron, who I featured in my book Fire in the Morning on 9-11 heroes, has gone through hell, and I know that this news of Bin Laden's death will finally bring some relief.

I sat with Ron and his wife in their New Jersey home many nights after that awful event and marveled at the courage and resilience they showed.

But I knew their hearts were breaking

Not just for him, but for the thousands who died on 9-11 this is a great night.

The death of bin Laden proves that there is nowhere to hide when you are the most bloodthirsty terrorist in U.S. history.

For years with his videotapes and his taunts, he has continued to threaten America and to boast about how many of us he would kill.

Now he is gone, and truly the world is a much better place.

Anyone who lived through 9-11 in New York as I did will consider this one of the greatest nights in the history of this city.

The man who tried to take us down has himself had his life ended, and justice has at last been served.

I think of other victims of bin Laden. Mike Meehan from Donegal, who went to his grave early because of the death of his son Damian. There's Kieran Gorman from Sligo, a young Irish construction worker from Sligo trying to make his way.

I remember interviewing the widow of FDNY Lieutenant Kevin Dowdall for my 9-11 book, "Fire in the Morning." She recalled his great Irish sense of humor and his love of Irish music.

Just two weeks ago I met with Jim Smith, whose wife, NYPD Officer Patricia Smith, saved so many lives that day by leading people to safety, but died herself.

I think of them all tonight, and the thousands of others and the lives that were lost, and the senseless deaths.

I am so proud of this country that they have tracked down the man who ordered these deaths, and that justice has been done.

God Bless America.

Read more: A tribute to those Irish Americans we lost on 9/11

Read more: Bin Laden's death: good news that could have waited

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41 comments

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hancock | May 07, 2011, 11:15 AM EDT

He got what he deserved.

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semperfidelis | May 07, 2011, 12:17 AM EDT

Excellent article, Niall, and right on the money.littleandloved and sirpeter,unconvinced etc. is fantasy island island a happy place or is it a dark,angry paranoid place full of misguided people who dislike everything American, people much like apparently yourselves.Praise Allah this murderous bastard is dead at the hands of the U.S. military.

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sirpeter | May 04, 2011, 09:04 PM EDT

littleandloved..You have a very good point.They had to kill him ..He knew to much

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littleandloved | May 04, 2011, 04:11 PM EDT

The man was executed without trial, this act puts the executioners and those who gave the order, on the same level as a Third World dictator or, in fact, the same level as those who the West pro-ports to be opposing

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sirpeter | May 04, 2011, 12:05 PM EDT

@unconvinced..He is dead.Can't see a motive to lie about it. But you are right to been unconvinced about alot of things.There has been some BIG lies in history.Government's and President's are pathological liars.Always have been. The sad thing is the ordinary people continue to believe them,I guess it saves them having to think for themselves.But I admire the fact you are at least thinking.I think you have earned the right to be unconvinced or at least suspicious about anything that is said by the US government.Course nothing but some flesh eating cancer on some politicians in Ireland would soothe my contempt.

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DanOLoingsigh | May 03, 2011, 08:47 AM EDT

@unconvinced – maybe your belief in a ‘judgement day’ is even more fanciful…how many people would need to go along with a charade to invent this killing? I don’t expect to see photos of OBL holding up a current-date newspaper any time soon…

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unconvinced | May 03, 2011, 02:32 AM EDT

If you believe that hes dead you will believe anything. Also no matter what you think of him he never was tried and convicted , he was just shot and bumped. When the IRA was doing that America was against it so here we have America doing the same as the IRA and Americas is hailed a powerful nation- It just tells me how SICK this world is . The reported death is just as questionable as who actually carried out the Twin Towers ?????? We will never know the truth until judgement day when the secrets of mens hearts are made known

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Beatriz | May 02, 2011, 05:18 PM EDT

A day of jubilation for the country that was a long time coming. Bravo Obama, you just won your re-election because nobody can take this victory away from you. Bush kept his eye off the ball and lost a golden opportunity to get this monster, may he rot in hell forever. God bless America.

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sirpeter | May 02, 2011, 03:17 PM EDT

Big mistake!! The object should be to undermine your opponent's support network. The analogy of the Russian Dolls while clever is just not true.It might work with a conventional army.But in fact has the opposite effect with a guerrilla army.The United States just made a martyr out of him. It's exactly how Bin Laden wanted to die. He volunteered for a cause and died a martyr.Doesn't get any better then that.How many American soldiers who died in the middle east will be remembered like that.Those wars in the middle east are instigated by very rich men. If you feel your wage packet has a little oil bonus every month because of these wars,then fair enough. But if you are just making ends meet after your 39 hour hard graft and wish life was financially easier. I wouldn't be a dumb ass patriot without a cause.The Government you live with has to provide you with a very comfortable life style first.I would then defend it against an invasion.But put my life on the line for rich men to get richer ..Not a chance in hell.

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vincem13 | May 02, 2011, 02:37 PM EDT

Very well said, Niall. Thank you and God bless.

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Searlit | May 02, 2011, 02:09 PM EDT

The hope that I see is an end to the war in Afghanistan, very soon. Can't change anything that's already happened. Stay in the moment, we are equipped with everything we need to make positive change.

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manhattan | May 02, 2011, 01:23 PM EDT

Trealach, how dare you accuse the US of being as evil as Bin Laden. Every one cheering on the streets of New York are entitled to celebrate the death by the hands of our fantastic military, so many of us lost so many innocent wonderful people. Of course terrorism is still on but we will beat them and send them back to the 1st century where they belong. So Trealach go soak your miserable head in your safe country you can't be here and say what you did.

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MrSinatra | May 02, 2011, 01:05 PM EDT

My Best Man was a block way from the WTC that morning, in the shower actually. Anyone clear thinking should be able to tell the difference between good and evil, and ergo the difference between valid celebration and gleeful schadenfreude. There's no room for moral equivalence in these matters, unless you're happily prepared to be dead.

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BryanTim | May 02, 2011, 01:04 PM EDT

It's amazing to watch the staged celebrations in Washington, D.C., but I never saw any evidence whatsoever that bin Laden was behind 911. Those accusations came from the U.S. government and since the U.S. Government routinely lies to the American people, I don't believe it. Are you watching to unrest across the Arab world? Guess who is behind it? Do you remember how the U.S. Government was going into Libya to protect civilians? Why then did they just kill Ghadalfi's son and three grandchildren? Do you think someone may want to take revenge for that in the future? Would you blame them if they did? Let's hope they go after the people who are responsible and not ordinary American's who seem to have no control over their own government.

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John5319 | May 02, 2011, 12:53 PM EDT

How can this be ??? ... Bin Laden's DEATH is called "justice for grieving families" ... and yet Ireland has a Constitutional amendment against the "death penalty", for those same "grieving" Irish families of murderous crime ?? That is called Justice? I'll call it what it is foolish STUPIDITY !!

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