Capturing Saddam: The US army officer who led the effort to capture Saddam Hussein, Col James B. Hickey, has strong Irish roots, writes Patrick Flynn in Ennis
Both parents of the man who headed Operation Red Dawn are Irish. His father, James snr (73), is from Cooraclare in west Clare, and moved to Chicago when he was 18. Col Hickey's mother, Anne Marie, is from Co Mayo.
James snr's sister Mary Queally lives in Dromelihy near Cooraclare and said she is "very proud of Jim and relieved that he is alright".
"Jim was home with me here for 10 days with his wife about 10 years ago. My brother Jim [Col Hickey's father] comes home every year and is due home again after Christmas."
"...His mother and father have been very worried about him being in Iraq ... It took the son of a Clareman to find Saddam Hussein, who would have thought it? Thank God that no one was hurt," Mrs Queally added.