NORTHERN IRELAND BUREAU ST. PATRICK’S DAY BREAKFAST, March 14, 2024.

Posted By: March 14, 2024

Fr. Sean McManus—President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus and Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize—

always attends the Northern Ireland Bureau’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. He explained: “I do so because I love seeing the people from home, and I attend as an expression of hope in the future, and to show my respect for the impressive record of the NI Bureau.”

Fr. Mc Manus said: “Today, it was wonderful seeing both First Minister Michele O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly speak at the event. And Joe Kennedy III, U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, of course, worked his Kennedy magic and charisma.”

Fr. Mc Manus continued: “In friendly conversations, I took occasion to raise, as I have been doing for many years, the heroic and inspiring campaign of Belfast Protestant Raymond McCord, Sr. for his murdered son, Raymond, Jr.

Now that Raymond, Sr. has been cruelly denied an Inquest into his son’s murder, he is calling for a Public Inquiry that the Irish National Caucus is fully supporting. So, I raised this issue with Sinn Fein and DUP Leaders—and with the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. and with Edwin Poots, Speaker, NI Assembly. I am sure Raymond’s call will resonate very strongly in Congress. Who could reasonably oppose it?”

Raymond Mc Cord, Sr., speaking from Belfast, said: “I was delighted when Fr. McManus telephoned me to tell me he had kept his promise to raise my call for a Public Inquiry.

As a Belfast Protestant, I am profoundly grateful for the support of this Fermanagh priest. Many talk about reconciliation, but Fr. Mc Manus exemplifies his own quote, ‘Reconciliation is at its best and truest when Catholics and Protestants work together for justice and speak truth to power.’”