Shawn Sidway- New Irish Star in Florida

Posted By: November 07, 2013

The great State of Florida has a lot of Irish-Americans — about two million out of a population of 19.32 million. However, Florida has not always been in the forefront of action for justice and peace in Ireland. But that is changing.

 There is a new Irish star in the Florida firmament, and we would like readers to know about him. His name is Shawn Sidway. And he is the real deal; an Irish American who has not forgotten his roots, and who understands that being Irish is fundamentally about being concerned about justice. The Irish National Caucus is proud to introduce Shawn Sidway.

A New Yorker by birth, Shawn now resides in Florida where he has been teaching political science and history for 30 years. 

Shawn explains: “I have been active in Irish Affairs in differing degrees since I was a child. My interest in Ireland started when my Mother started telling me stories that she heard from my Grandmother who in turn heard them from her mother. It was sort of a hand me down history.

The stories ranged from accounts of Irelands natural beauty to the suffering of the Irish people under British occupation. The stories fascinated me and lured me to Ireland many times. During my visits I experienced both ends of the stories first hand, from the natural beauty of the country to the brutality of the authorities in Northern Ireland.

I have never forgotten the reality of what I felt and saw in Northern Ireland and I became determined to become a voice for those who had theirs violently taken away.”

Shawn is a proactive Irish-American who has joined many Irish organizations, including Irish Northern Aid, AOH and Irish National Caucus.

He is currently  State Chairman of the AOH Freedom of All Ireland Committee.