Articles

Former US President Bill Clinton’s historic visit to Ireland sent up in brand new comedy taking to the Dublin stage

Former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery called the late Mick McDonnell ‘probably the most significant revolutionary who ever lived in California.’ About two dozen people recently gathered at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery to stage a memorial for Irish revolutionary and legend Michael “Mick” McDonnell. Nearly 100 years ago, McDonnell was the first leader of “The Squad,” a.k.a. “The Twelve Apostles,” the assassination unit employed by Michael Collins during the Irish War of Independence. Read more

Tom McEnery: San Jose rose above the horrors of ‘Swift Justice’ By January 14, 2016 at 9:14 am | TOM MCENERY It was 1933 and America was a troubled country. Millions were out of work, thousands of banks had closed, veterans were angry, fear was constant. In Europe, fascism was on the march. A young, inexperienced president, Franklin Roosevelt, noted that if he did not succeed, he might not be the worst president but the “last one.” In our beautiful valley, San Jose remained somewhat insulated. There were parks, churches, civic buildings and many fine departments stores, chief among them … Continue reading →

Officer Michael Johnson was killed last week answering a call to assist in a domestic problem. He rushed to help someone because it was his duty. Some have called it a senseless death. They are very wrong. Read more

Tucked off the main drag of downtown San Jose’s San Pedro Street, Tom McEnery can be found these days in a memorabilia-plastered office wedged between O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub and a specialty tea outfit. Just down the street, his namesake San Jose McEnery Convention Center is set to reopen in a week after a $130 million expansion. Read more

Herhold: San Jose former Mayor Tom McEnery reverses views on development

Six Degrees of Separation from Steve Jobs or the Shoulders of San Pedro Square  

By Tom McEnery/ October 17, 2011 In his famous challenge to John Sculley, Steve Jobs asked if he wanted to spend his life selling sugared water to kids, or did he want to change the world? Jobs was quite a salesman. About a year after that famous quote, I saw much of that legendary asset when I met him to discuss the new Apple headquarters that he wanted to build in the southern reaches of San Jose. He had I.M. Pei to design it, bundles of cash, more cachet and a plan that was “awesome.” And he made me an offer that … Continue reading →

In two weeks nominations close and we’ll know the final field for the October 27 election for President of Ireland. If ever there was a year for an Irish-American to give it a go this was it. First of all, the field remains as it was on August 15 when I wrote that Ireland is seeking a half-way decent candidate for President. Michael D Higgins leads in the polls, but a third of the electorate is basically saying, “Can we have another choice, please?” Read more

Remembering the Kennedys