Fr. Mc Manus to Launch Memoirs in Ireland

Capitol Hill. Thursday, March 24, 2011—“ There was a time the only way Fr. Mc Manus would have gotten into Dublin Castle was in chains, in the dungeon.”

Thus spoke an Irish-American journalist when told Fr Mc Manus would be launching and signing his newly published Memoirs in Dublin Castle on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 6:30 PM.
The Dublin Castle event is the first in a series of launches of My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland (Collins Press. Cork).
The others are as follows:
Belfast: Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 2 PM. Cultúrlann 216 Falls Road.
Bellaghy: Sunday, April 10 at 7 PM. Wolfe Tones, GAA grounds,

Enniskillen: Thursday, April. 14, 2011. Library. 8PM.

While Belfast and Enniskillen are obvious venues, some have expressed surprise at the Bellaghy venue -- a rather small area.
“ That’s because I have a special connection to Bellaghy -- the home of two dead Hunger Strikers: Francis Hughes (May 12, 1981) and Tom Mc Elwee (August 8, 1981) who were first cousins to each other,” explained Fr Mc Manus. “ On May 30,1981 the Irish National Caucus brought Francis’ brother Oliver to Washington and later brought out Mrs. Mc Elwee, Tom’s mother”.

Fr Mc Manus continued: “When Oliver, now an Independent Republican Councilor, heard about my Memoirs, he did me the great honor of sponsoring my visit to Bellaghy. I greatly look forward to seeing the Hughes and the Mc Elwees”.

The Belfast launch is being sponsored by Relatives for Justice. Fr. Mc Manus expressed great appreciation for Mark Thompson and Clare Reilly,two leaders of the sponsoring group. One of the speakers will be Raymond Mc Cord. The event is also being strongly supported by the Ballymurphy Massacre Committee. Fr Mc Manus recently helped to arrange their participation in a Congressional Hearing.
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CONGRESSMAN SMITH PROMISES TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON BRITS

Four witnesses : John Finucane, John Teggart, Ciaran Mc Airt and Jane Winter

CAPITOL HILL –Wednesday, March 16, 2011—At the end of a particularly powerful Congressional Hearing, Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) pledged that he would escalate Congressional pressure on the British Government to end its “ obfuscation” on the four individual Northern Ireland cases before his Committee.

The four cases were : the Pat Finucane case, on which Pat’s son, John testified; the Ballymurphy Massacre, on which John Teggart testified; the Mc Gurk Bar bombing, on which Ciaran Mc Airt testified; and the Raymond Mc Cord Jr case, on which Raymond Sr ( who was unable to travel) submitted written testimony.

Congressman Smith pointed out that he was not only the Chairman of the Helsinki Commission (which held the Hearing) but also chairman of the House Human Rights Committee. He promised that he would continue to hold more hearings before both committees.

“ Congressman Smith is a real blessing to everyone who cares about human rights in Northern Ireland”, said Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus. “ He has given the families of the four cases great hope and encouragement that their cases will remain a top priority in the new Congress, where the Republicans control the House of Representatives”.

Fr. Mc Manus concluded by praising all the witnesses, including Jane Winter of the British Irish Watch. “ John Finucane and Jane Winter have testified many times before and are thus seasoned witnesses. But it was the first time for John Teggart and Ciaran Mc Airt. I was very proud of both of them. They did their families proud and have made a huge contribution to the justice of their cause. By her presence at the hearing, Briege Foyle – daughter of Joan Connolly , one of the eleven murdered in the Ballymurphy Massacre – added further dignity and urgency to the cause. As did, of course, the presence of Mrs. Geraldine Finucane, who has faithfully attended so many of these hearings on her late husband, Pat.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus

President

Irish National Caucus

P.O. BOX 15128

Capitol Hill

Washington, DC 20003-0849

Tel. 202-544-0568

Fax. 202-488-7537

sean@irishnationalcaucus.org

Irish-Americans Welcome Hearing

Fr. Sean Mc Manus ( center) with two Witnesses at Hearing : Ciaran Mc Airt( left) and John Teggart. Ciaran testified on behalf of the victims of Mc Gurk Bar bombing and John on behalf of the Ballymurphy Massacre Committee.

Praise Chairman Smith’s Record

Capitol Hill—Wednesday, March 16, 2011--- Irish-Americans welcome this Congressional Hearing on Northern Ireland: “Northern Ireland: Why Justice in Individual Cases Matters” before the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (commonly known as The Helsinki Commission) Chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ).

“ This will be the twelfth hearing Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) has held on human rights in Northern Ireland. Nobody has ever come near that remarkable record in the entire history of the U.S. Congress”, said Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus.

Fr. Mc Manus – who has been pushing Hearings on Northern Ireland for almost 40 years – added:“ And to think that under Speakers Tip O’Neill and Tom Foley -- and others -- all human rights hearings on Northern Ireland were once shamefully banned -- from 1974 to 1995”.

“ I greatly welcome this Hearing”, Fr. Mc Manus continued. “ It is so wonderful to see the Ballymurphy Massacre Committee and the families of the Mc Gurk Bar bombing getting to bring their case before the U.S Congress. I am sorry that my good fried, Raymond Mc Cord, the Belfast Protestant who has waged a heroic battle for justice, was unable to travel”.

Then referring to the other case before the Committee, Fr. Mc Manus explained : “

The Pat Finucane case has long been of the highest concern to Irish-Americans. Solidarity with Mrs. Finucane and her family is an enduring Irish-American value and a top priority”.

Returning to the excellent record of Congressman Smith, Fr. Mc Manus said: “ In my just released Memoirs, My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland”(Collins Press, Cork), I write this about him: “[In January 1995] Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, became Chairman of the Human Rights Subcommittee. He would go on to hold eleven hearings on the Pat Finucane case and other human rights issues. Chris is the quintessential good guy – dedicated, courageous, and committed to human rights everywhere”(page 240). [The book is now available at (British )Amazon .co.uk and soon will be available at Amazon.com

“ Incidentally”, Fr. Mc Manus concluded, “ at the last moment I was able to get a photo of the Ballymurphy Massacre Committee included my Memoirs, which further illustrates just how important I regard this case”.

END

Fr. Sean Mc Manus

President

Irish National Caucus

P.O. BOX 15128

Capitol Hill

Washington, DC 20003-0849

Tel. 202-544-0568

Fax. 202-488-7537