Hollywood Meets Kinawley

Posted By: March 29, 2013

Washington, D.C., November 17, 1997 — The enclosed photograph shows, left to right, movie superstar Richard Gere, Fr. Sean McManus (originally from Kinawley), and Congressman Ben Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee of the U.S. Congress.

The photo was taken at a recent event in New York celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Congressman Gilman’s election to Congress. Congressman Gilman asked three people to speak at his event: Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives, movie star Richard Gere, and Fr. Sean McManus, President of the Washington-based Irish National Caucus.

Richard Gere is a strong crusader for Tibet and a friend of the Dalai Lama. So isCongressman Gilman. That is why Richard was speaking at the event. The Congressman is also a very strong supporter of human rights in Northern Ireland. He and Fr. McManus have been friends for 25 years and work very closely on Irish issues.

“Richard Gere is very anxious to get his photograph into the Fermanagh Herald,” said Fr. McManus. “He said that if he could make it into the Fermanagh Herald, his career would really take off. He then asked me if I could help to get his photograph into the Herald. ‘The Herald is a bit particular,’ I said, ‘but I’ll see what I can do.'”