We regret to inform readers of Socialist Voice of the death of one of our regular contributors, Seán Joseph Clancy, who wrote regularly on events in his adopted homeland, Cuba.
Seán was born and raised in the suburb of Raheny in Dublin. He first went to Cuba in 1999 on holiday, falling in love with all things Cuban, its political and economic system, its people and its culture. He eventually married a Cuban compañera. He also leaves an eight-year-old son and a stepdaughter.
When Seán moved to Cuba he worked as a collaborator with the news agency Prensa Latina and made regular appearances on Radio Havana International, speaking about current events in Cuba to its listeners abroad. He ran a casa particular (bed and breakfast) in the city of Trinidad in Sancti Spíritus for the last ten years, a welcoming home for its many visitors.
Seán was active in the campaign to free the Cuban Five and of the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five and was part of the international delegation that went to Washington to lobby the Congress for the release of the Cuban anti-terrorist heroes. He was also active in the international campaign for the release of Ana Belén Montes, an American citizen of Puerto Rican origin now serving a 25-year prison sentence on espionage charges.
As well as Socialist Voice, Seán was a regular contributor to Dawn News and Counterpunch. His articles in Socialist Voice were always informative and insightful, giving an Irish audience first-hand knowledge of current and topical events in Cuba. They were an essential antidote to the bile churned out daily by the establishment media about all things relating to the Cuban Revolution.
When back in Ireland visiting his family Seán would drop into Connolly House to catch up on current political developments. He had a high degree of knowledge of Irish history and the long struggle against British imperialism in his homeland.
Seán was true to the traditions of his people, an internationalist and anti-imperialist. We are all the richer to have been able to read his articles. We salute his contribution and his memory.
