Tommy Clifford receives Irish American Peace Prize
Posted By: January 17, 2019
“Nobody in America has shown more devotion to unity, justice, and peace in Ireland.”
Legendary Irish activist Tommy Clifford and Fr. Sean Mc Manus
The prize was recently instituted by the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus to ” to honor and recognize individuals who have struggled for Irish justice over the past 50 years.”
Caucus president, Fr. Sean Mc Manus explained when he launched the Irish American Peace Prize: “We believe this Prize was needed to bring balance, truth and a sense of realism to the whole history of the past 50 years. And, I felt that I had a duty to launch the Irish American Peace Prize in order to honor real people who have been ignored: individuals who bore the heat of the day, who were not “sunshine patriots,” and who were not afraid to take a stand when it was not fashionable or easy. The reality is that many Irish-Americans were too scared or disinterested to take a stand, and some just emerged when it was easy and had no cost…”
Fr. Mc Manus who has known Mr. Clifford since the early 1970s said: “Nobody in America has shown more devotion to unity, justice, and peace in Ireland. When I was based in Boston (1975-1978), I was profoundly impressed with and inspired by, Tommy from County Clare, and his wife Agnes from County Cavan. They showed extraordinary dedication to The Cause. I wanted to include Agnes in the honor, but she insisted that it should go to Tommy alone.”
Tommy Clifford said: “I am deeply honored to receive the Irish American Peace Prize. And I am doubly honored to receive it from my old friend Fr.McManus. All true Irish-Americans believe, in the words of the Irish National Caucus and Irish American Peace Prize that:’Ireland, too, has the right to be One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'”