Danny Cassidy October 15, 2008 -- The author and scholar, Daniel Cassidy has died in San Francisco. The Irish Echo's "Slanguage" columnist was 65. By Irish Echo Staff -- issue of October 22-28, 2008 Daniel Cassidy, who wrote the Irish Echo's "Slanguage" column, has died. The 65-year-old scholar and filmmaker had been battling pancreatic cancer over the past several months. Cassidy, who lived in San Francisco, won the 2007 American Book award for nonfiction for his pioneering "How the Irish Invented Slang: The Secret Language of the Crossroads." His thesis was that much of American slang -- words, for instance, such as jazz, scam, poker, fluke and knack -- was derived from the Irish language. "It was a privilege to know him; a great grace to have had his friendship," said author Peter Quinn. "His legacy to the Irish-American community is inestimable. We are so much poorer for his passing." The Brooklyn-born son of a navy chief petty officer, Cassidy attended the New York Military Academy and after that studied English literature at Cornell University. He worked for many years as a musician. In 1995, he founded and co-directed the Irish Studies program at New College of California, and directed the school's Media and Film Studies program. His own documentary about Northern Ireland, "Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs" was nominated for an Emmy in 1996. Cassidy was a community leader, union and anti-war activist. He was a co-founder of San Francisco's annual Crossroads Irish-American Festival. In the last year of his life, Cassidy was working on a research project about the relationship between Irish immigrants and African Americans in 19th century Manhattan. He is survived by Clare McIntyre, his wife of 25 years. **************One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks, and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com today!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redir=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp %26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001)