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Pat Guerin obituary Pat Guerin obituary
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Our comrade Pat Guerin, who has died unexpectedly aged 56, was a founder of the Anti Racism Campaign in Ireland in the late 1990s. He moulded an alliance of seasoned politicos and new volunteers into an effective and radical force, acting as its public relations officer for several years.Our comrade Pat Guerin, who has died unexpectedly aged 56, was a founder of the Anti Racism Campaign in Ireland in the late 1990s. He moulded an alliance of seasoned politicos and new volunteers into an effective and radical force, acting as its public relations officer for several years.
Perhaps most importantly, he insisted on supporting the voices and actions of new ethnic minorities in Ireland, rather than driving the agenda. From 2002 to 2006 he also worked for the Irish Refugee Council as an outreach worker linking to local action groups and refugee communities, and editing the magazine Asyland. Pat reckoned that over the years the Anti Racism Campaign had directly prevented nearly 100 individual deportations.Perhaps most importantly, he insisted on supporting the voices and actions of new ethnic minorities in Ireland, rather than driving the agenda. From 2002 to 2006 he also worked for the Irish Refugee Council as an outreach worker linking to local action groups and refugee communities, and editing the magazine Asyland. Pat reckoned that over the years the Anti Racism Campaign had directly prevented nearly 100 individual deportations.
He was born in Dublin, second eldest of four children, and grew up giving help and support to his mother, who spent a lot of time in hospital with arthritis during his childhood. He attended Glasnevin national school and St Kevin's secondary school, and in 1977 joined Guinness, starting in the bottling plant and progressing through other roles to human resources, where he remained for several years before deciding to pursue his activist career. Later, as a mature student, he was part of the first intake on the MPhil in Racial and Ethnic Studies course at Trinity College Dublin.He was born in Dublin, second eldest of four children, and grew up giving help and support to his mother, who spent a lot of time in hospital with arthritis during his childhood. He attended Glasnevin national school and St Kevin's secondary school, and in 1977 joined Guinness, starting in the bottling plant and progressing through other roles to human resources, where he remained for several years before deciding to pursue his activist career. Later, as a mature student, he was part of the first intake on the MPhil in Racial and Ethnic Studies course at Trinity College Dublin.
A restless man, he favoured action – the more direct the better. He attended and organised countless demos against threatened deportations, anti-immigrant policies and institutional racism, and made alliances with other organisations in both the UK and Europe. He was always unequivocally on the side of the underdog and outraged by the treatment of asylum seekers by the Irish state.A restless man, he favoured action – the more direct the better. He attended and organised countless demos against threatened deportations, anti-immigrant policies and institutional racism, and made alliances with other organisations in both the UK and Europe. He was always unequivocally on the side of the underdog and outraged by the treatment of asylum seekers by the Irish state.
In 2000, he organised the occupation of the constituency offices of the then taoiseach Bertie Ahern, hanging an enlarged newspaper headline about the taoiseach's appeal for amnesty for illegal Irish immigrants in the US out of the window. His relish in retelling the story of his arrest ("… and when I saw the guard putting on the rubber gloves …") was typical of his wicked, sharp gallows humour.In 2000, he organised the occupation of the constituency offices of the then taoiseach Bertie Ahern, hanging an enlarged newspaper headline about the taoiseach's appeal for amnesty for illegal Irish immigrants in the US out of the window. His relish in retelling the story of his arrest ("… and when I saw the guard putting on the rubber gloves …") was typical of his wicked, sharp gallows humour.
As an activist, his income was often precarious. He drove round Ireland in a battered car, reggae anthems blaring, visiting asylum hostels. His grassroots campaigning approach and volatile actions did not always fit easily in the "professionalised" NGO sector. He represented all that is brave, courageous and sometimes foolhardy about activist anti-racism, taking up causes that sometimes seemed unwinnable and unpopular. Sometimes he surprised even himself by winning.As an activist, his income was often precarious. He drove round Ireland in a battered car, reggae anthems blaring, visiting asylum hostels. His grassroots campaigning approach and volatile actions did not always fit easily in the "professionalised" NGO sector. He represented all that is brave, courageous and sometimes foolhardy about activist anti-racism, taking up causes that sometimes seemed unwinnable and unpopular. Sometimes he surprised even himself by winning.
He is survived by his children, Jenny and Daniel, and two grandchildren.He is survived by his children, Jenny and Daniel, and two grandchildren.
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