From the Den to Dublin

Anyone involved with An Phoblacht in the past 40 years has a John Hedges story. If you were a writer, it was often to recount how he cheerfully highlighted a grammatical error in your work that had passed the proofers and editors by.

And as gleeful as John is about other people’s grammatical errors, he was more likely to offer words of encouragement and interest in your articles. In the robust world of an often turbulent weekly An Phoblacht production schedule, this was an unusual feat.

John’s avuncular calmness was an asset during his time as a reporter, sub editor, and, finally, editor of An Phoblacht. He encouraged and gently pressed writers to up their game and stretch themselves. 

Even when John wasn’t working for the paper and was gainfully employed elsewhere, he was still often to be found on the production floor in Dublin. And on Thursday when the fresh printed copies came back from the printer, John was always to be found pouring over that week’s output.

In 2010, when John returned to An Phoblacht as editor, he was interviewed by Ella O’Dwyer. He explained how he had applied for a reporter and proof reading job in 1982.

A member of the Gardai harassing AP/RN reporter John Hedges in Dundalk, during Democratic Unionist Party Deputy Leader Peter Robinson’s unlawful assembly and assault court case appearance, August 1986

He told Ella that, “The late, great Mick Timothy was editor then and he taught me practically everything I know about writing for newspapers”. Ella wrote that, “The lessons were sometimes painful from the genial, but no-nonsense, Manchester-born editor”.

John told Ella “My very first attempt at an article was on four hand-written A4 pages. Mick looked at it, told me (encouragingly) everywhere I was going wrong and sent me off to give it another go”. 

“My second draft was better but still not quite there; try again, Mick said. The third was handed up and he said that I was almost there - once more. I was losing the will to live and begged Mick to add his expert touch to what was needed and push the piece through. He heard my plea...  and tore up the hand-written pages into pieces and tossed them in the bin, making the obvious observation that he couldn’t finish it now and I’d just have to do it all again and properly. I did - and I never forgot that lesson.”

Like Mick Timothy, John was born in Britain, London rather Manchester, and, like Mick, found his way to Ireland.

John has a breadth of political and historical knowledge and a vocabulary to match. His commitment to working class politics and the struggles of people around the world to basic rights is undiminished. The only commitment that matches this is his ongoing devotion to Millwall FC. You can take the boy out of East London but….