As part of the Washington Ireland Program, I was asked to complete an interview with an interesting figure. I chose Colm O'Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International and below is an edited transcript of our conversation.
(Clare Herbert) 1) What were you doing at my age (20)?
(Colm O'Gorman) I had just left for London. Having left home at 17, I spent a few years drifting. I was kinda lost to be honest. There was nothing happening in Ireland, no prospects and no employment. So, I moved to London.
2) How did you get to where you are today?
Well, I drove up this morning from Gorey, did a photo shoot with Eddie O Sullivan and a Kayak on O’Connell bridge, had a cup of coffee and walked to the office. (laughs)
I used to think that I was on this journey that I’d no particular control over, that I was being swept along by stuff in the world and I was OK with that. About three years ago, I realised that I could steer my life. I am where I am because of circumstance, absolutely. Things have happened in my life that have called upon me to respond to them and that brought me into my work. Clearly, it’s part of who I am to respond to those circumstances in that way. In recent years, I’ve started to think strategically about where it was I was going and the areas of work that I’d seek to develop personally. I wanted to broaden my area of work and politics offered me a bridge into other things.
3) Why did you change decide to enter politics?
I believe that if you have an ability and an opportunity to effect meaningful change, that as a member of society, you have a responsibility to follow through on that and to try to make it happen. I’ve never really articulated it before, because it sounds a little bit too noble, but it’s true. I really believe that if any of us think that we can make the world work better, then you have obligation and a duty to do it.
4)Who was the most influential person in your life and why?
I honestly don’t know.
Perhaps, my father for lots of reasons, good, bad and indifferent. He was a significant influence initially by his absence, as he was very involved locally. I then left home because of abuse and didn’t go back for four and a half years, and when I did, it was hard for us to connect. My sexuality was difficult for him. There was a disconnection until I was 29, when I finally went to the guards and reported the abuse. We then had a very close, intense relationship until he died 10 months later. A lot of who I am comes from who he was. I’m just lucky to be alive at a time when, as a man, it’s easier to live with integrity and a sense of community as well as being emotionally connected.
5) What has been your greatest challenge?
To get to a point where I could consciously acknowledge to myself who I am in the world, do the work I do and be who I am in a public sense, but not to get too caught up in what people project onto me. I’ve been everything from a savour to evil, and in reality I’m none of those things, I’m just who I am. As Marianne Williamson said, “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” (More, here.)
6) What is your biggest regret?
(sings) Regrets I’ve had a few….
Ah you know, I haven’t got time for that. What’s the point? I genuinely don’t have any. If I look back are there things that I would do differently, no, I think that’s a daft idea. All you can do is live in the moment and embrace it as best that you can.
7) What is your opinion of the forthcoming US presidential election?
Firstly, I cannot adopt a position as it's Amnesty's policy to remain impartial. However, I’d like to give absolute credit to Barack Obama for stealing all of my campaign ideas!
I think that it’s an interesting and potentially remarkable moment in US politics. From Amnesty’s point of view, we already know that the next administration will be better for human rights, than the current one. I’ve never seen such a significant erosion of human rights. Both candidates have committed to closing Guantanamo but it remains to be seen how much they will be willing to take make real and meaningful change.
8 What do you value most in life?
Truth. I’ve come to have huge regard for and love of simple truth. Not moralistic preachy truth, but natural truth. Truth has enormous power and potential, as long as it’s grounded in the recognition that when one’s truth is only one’s individual story, and that one should be open to hearing from the other or the collective.
9) What advice would you give to a young university graduate from Ireland/Northern Ireland?
Find your truth. Find within yourself an ability to live in a way that speaks to who you are in the world, and allows you to consider where you want to be. Take the time to get there, knowing that you will get there. Sit with your truth, recognise what captures you in that and that will lead you to where you need to be next.
10) What advice would you give to the 26 young interns travelling to Washington DC for the summer?
Embrace it! Suck every last bit of good out of it! Enjoy it! Open yourself up to all the opportunities and experiences that it brings and get the best of it.
