▁S ween ey ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁pla cement ▁of ▁the ▁so - called ▁" I r ish ▁pl ank " ▁into ▁the ▁Democratic ▁platform ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Convention . ▁ ▁S ween ey ' s ▁health ▁sharp ly ▁decl ined ▁after ▁suffering ▁a ▁major ▁heart ▁attack ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁S ween ey ▁died ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 2 ▁on ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁at ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁G ates ▁M ills , ▁Ohio , ▁a ▁Cleveland ▁sub urb , ▁after ▁suffering ▁ ▁from ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁a il ments . ▁He ▁is ▁surv ived ▁by ▁his ▁second ▁wife , ▁Kath ry n ; ▁his ▁first ▁wife ▁Pat ric ia ▁and ▁their ▁ 1 3 ▁children , ▁Robert , ▁Daniel , ▁William , ▁Martin , ▁John , ▁James , ▁Thomas , ▁Mary ▁Brig id , ▁Alice ▁Marie , ▁Edward , ▁Pat rica , ▁E ile en ▁and ▁Catherine ; ▁ 3 7 ▁grand children , ▁and ▁ 1 5 ▁great - grand ▁children ; ▁and ▁two ▁step children ▁from ▁his ▁second ▁marriage . ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Ob itu ary ▁from ▁The ▁Cleveland ▁P lain ▁De aler ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 2 4 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 0 7 ▁death s ▁Category : C leveland – Mar sh all ▁College ▁of ▁Law ▁al umn i ▁Category : Ge or get own ▁University ▁al umn i ▁Category : M embers ▁of