Frank Durkan

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Frank Durkan (1930-2006) was an Irish-American attorney best-known for having represented numerous members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), including self-avowed gun-runner and pivotal North American member of the IRA -- George Harrison, who stood trial in 1982.

In another prominent case, which occurred the previous year, Durkan convinced a federal magistrate to deny the United Kingdom's request that Desmond Mackin - accused of shooting a British soldier- be extradited to British custody.

Born in Bohola, County Mayo, Durkan immigrated to the United States in 1947, aged 17, after which he quickly took up residence in New York City where he capitalized upon familial connections to the politically influential O'Dwyer family. His uncle, William O'Dwyer, was the mayor of New York City at the time, while his uncle, Paul O'Dwyer, was an influential activist who would later become president of the New York City Council.

A graduate of Columbia University, 1951, he would earn his law degree from New York Law School two years later, after which he would serve as a clerk for the law firm of O'Dwyer & Bernstien, where Paul O'Dwyer was the senior partner.

In addition to representing members of the IRA he would also practice malpractice and negligence law, and - towards the twilight of his career- indulge in political campaigns aimed at legitimizing the IRA within American political circles by lobbying the government on behalf of Irish-American republicans and Irish nationalists; he was ultimately unsuccessful by the 1990s when Joe Doherty was deported in 1992 after 10 years of litigation.

He died on November 16, 2006, aged 76, in Greenwich, Connecticut from complications from a previous lung infection according to news reports. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and two grandchildren.