Mary Boresz Pike, an attorney who captured the attention of Irish America over her years long legal fight to prevent the deportation of Joe Doherty, has died.
Along with her law partner, Steve Somerstein, Boresz Pike made national and indeed world headlines in a legal back and forth with the U.S. as Doherty marked days, months and years behind bars, mostly within the grim confines of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
He was ultimately sent back to Northern Ireland in February, 1992 but later released from prison there under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Brehon Law Society, in a statement, said that it was with great sadness that it was announcing the passing of Mary Boresz Pike on October 12, 2023.
"Mary was one of our original and most dedicated members. She used her considerable lawyering skills to represent the downtrodden against the overwhelming forces aligned against them. Her clients included Sikh and Irish political activists. She was the assistant to the president of the hotel workers union and a union organizer.
We will always remember her unrelenting and brilliant legal efforts on behalf of Irish Republican prisoner Joseph Doherty. Mary, together with her late law partner, Stephen Somerstein, fought for over 8 years all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent his return to the North of Ireland. Unfortunately, politics trumped legal precedent and Joe was eventually returned to the North of Ireland.
"Mary served as an inspiration for all our members, and we will always keep her spirit and determination alive in our hearts."
The statement was signed by Domhnall Ó’Catháin, President of the Brehon Law Society of New York.
