Acclaimed journalist had family ties to Mayo

The recent death in New York of award-winning journalist and author Ed Moloney has been deeply felt by family and friends in the Claremorris area where he had strong ancestral ties. 

Mr Moloney, who was aged 77, was the grandson of Honoria Maloney, formerly of Backfox and Killeenfarna, Claremorris. His passing is particularly poignant for relatives still residing locally, including cousin John Maloney of Scardaune.

Widely respected for his fearless reporting on the Northern Ireland Troubles and for his influential books on Irish political history, Mr Moloney had visited Claremorris on several occasions. He was last in the area for the funeral of his uncle, Harold Moloney, who lived in Killeenfarna. 

Aiden Brennan, a cousin who grew up near Harold, remembers Mr Moloney's visits fondly.

“He came a few times to see his grandmother, just up the road from us. We always looked forward to his visits,” he said.

A distinguished journalist, Mr Moloney spent much of his career covering the Northern conflict, serving as Northern Editor of The Irish Times and later the Sunday Tribune. His reporting was widely published internationally, and his fearless pursuit of the truth earned him the title of Irish Journalist of the Year in 1999. That recognition came just a week after he successfully challenged an attempt by Scotland Yard to compel him to reveal confidential sources relating to the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

His landmark 2002 book, A Secret History of the IRA, remains one of the most authoritative accounts of the republican movement and peace process, offering a controversial and detailed portrait of Sinn Féin leadership and covert political negotiations. In later years, his work included the Boston College Belfast Project and the documentary I, Dolours, both of which delved into the voices and experiences of former militants, including Dolours Price.

Mr Moloney had lived in New York since 2000 and remained active in journalism through his blog ‘The Broken Elbow’, where he provided commentary on Irish and global affairs. Despite the effects of polio, which he contracted aged three and which increasingly limited his mobility, he continued to write and publish until shortly before his death.

He is survived by his wife Joan McKiernan and their son Ciarán. His funeral will take place in the United States. News of his passing has been met with heartfelt condolences from his extended family in the USA and in Claremorris, including his aunts and cousins such as Aiden Brennan and Lizzie Dargie, who remain proud of his remarkable legacy.