In memoriam: Hibernian,Robert J. Bateman
Robert “Bob” Bateman was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts and raised in Lawrence and York Harbor, Maine. He was educated at Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, on a track scholarship (member of the United States Senior Men's A.A.U. Track Team), Harvard University, where he studied Irish subjects, and the USDA Graduate School for Government Executives. He was the author of many national and international articles on Irish history and the Fenians (Irish Republican Brotherhood), and is an internationally recognized authority on the Fenian movement. Bob was the great-grandnephew of the Fenian hero, Captain Timothy Deasy of Clonakilty, County Cork, and cousin to Liam Deasy of Bandon, County Cork. Through his paternal great-great- grandmother, Margaret O'Donovan of Rosscarberry, Bob was a distant blood relative of the great Fenian leader and hero, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa.
Bob in 2014 being awarded a lifetime membership in the AOH.
Bob was former Director of the Irish National Caucus and a fourth generation member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, having joined Division #8, Lawrence, MA on March 3, 1969. Bob was the current Historian of AOH Division 18, Peekskill, NY, and former Division, Essex County and Massachusetts State Historian. He organized AOH Division #1 in Portland, Maine, 1975-1976. He was appointed the AOH National Historian and Liaison to the Irish National Caucus and Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs in 1976 by AOH National President, Jack Keane, and re-appointed to these positions by AOH National President, Tom McNabb, at the National Convention held at Killarney, Ireland, in 1978. Through the efforts of Commandant General Tom Barry (3rd West Cork Brigade), a close family friend, Bob was behind the barricades with Bernadette Devlin during the "Battle of the Bogside" in Derry in August 1969. On August 10, 1970, at the invitation of General Barry, Bob attended the 50th anniversary of the Kilmichael ambush, one of the most famous and important military engagements of the War of Independence.
Bob was also back to the North of Ireland in 1970 and was in Belfast during the internment raids in the summer of 1971. In November 1978, Bob was a member of the official fact finding mission to the North and Irish Republic with the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs, Congressman Mario Biaggi (D. NY), Congressman Ben Gilman (R. NY), Fr. Sean McManus and Dr. Fred Burns-O’Brien of the Irish National Caucus for meetings with church leaders, government officials and leadership of such paramilitary organizations as Provision IRA, Official IRA, Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), Ulster Defense Association (UDA), Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), and Red Hand Commandoes (RHC), as well as families of Irish Republican prisoners. He was one of the first Irish Americans to be permitted access to meet with Irish Republican Army political prisoners of the “H Blocks” in Long Kesh and women prisoners being held in Armagh during the Blanket Protest. Bob was back in Belfast again in 1981.
Bob was the Founder and President of Alliance Defense Marketing Associates, LLC, a premier global risk management and defense/security consulting firm specializing in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Federal Government, Corporate Services, and Defense Industry Initiatives.
Bob began his career with a 15-year tenure with the United States Department of the Treasury. During this period Bob held the positions of Area Representative, Area Manager and Deputy State Directory (Massachusetts), State Director (Maine), District Director (responsible for Washinton, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia), acting Regional Director, Region III, and Assistant National Director (GS/15), U.S. Savings Bond Division.
He was a Colonel (Retired), General Staff, Army Division Headquarters, New York Guard as the Past Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Anti-terrorism/Force Protection (G/2) and was past Deputy Commander of the 88th Brigade, Headquarters, New York City. Bob also served nine years as a sworn police officer with the Hampton, New Hampshire Police Department.
He was the past-Chairman of the Board, the Military Association of New York (The Officers Association of the Combined Military Forces of New York State); past Commander-in-Chief, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Additionally, he was Past Prior, Priory of St. King Charles the Martyr, Washington, D.C. and past Deputy Grand Prior, GPUSA (2000-2014) Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (Knights Templar). Bob was Chief of Mission OSMTH U.N. Delegation, New York; Member of the Rockingham County and Hampton, New Hampshire Police Associations; New Hampshire Police Emerald Society; member of the Irish Brigade Association, Military Liasion; member of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, the Harvard Club of New York City and The Army and Navy Club, Washington, D.C. Bob was also a dual citizen of the United States and the Irish Republic.
Bob leaves behind his Wife Camille, two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren.