Frank Durkan gets his way

Frank Durkan got his way in more than one New York court case. Now he has his way with New York's streetscape.

The late attorney, who championed innumerable causes whether winnable or seemingly lost, is now permanently remembered by a street sign in the Bronx just a hand pass from Gaelic Park.

The renaming of Tibbett Avenue at West 240th Street to Tibbett Avenue and Frank Durkan Way took place on a blustery Saturday afternoon last with a good crowd in attendance despite the fact that many from the Irish community who would remember the Mayo native fondly were doing relief work on the Rockaways as part of the post-Sandy Irish Day of Action.

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Tibbett Avenue from West 238th Street to West 240th Street is now officially co-named "Frank Durkan Way" in Durkan's honor of the late attorney and Irish advocate.

Tributes paid to Durkan at the unveiling ceremony came from a number of people who had crossed paths with Durkan for legal, political or just social reasons.

Among them was Martin Lyons, one of the leading campaigners for the street renaming, and Ken Tierney, defended by Durkan when he was a member of the "Fort Worth Five."

 

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