Mission | About INC

THE IRISH LOBBY
The Irish National Caucus (INC) is the Irish lobby on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. It is a human rights organization dedicated to getting the United States to stand up for justice and peace in Ireland.

NONPROFIT
The Irish National Caucus is a nonprofit organization(registered in Washington, D.C., 1978). It is a 501(c)(4). The INC’s sister organization, the Irish Peace Foundation, is recognized by the I.R.S. as being eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).

NONVIOLENT
The Irish National Caucus is nonviolent, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian. It has no foreign principal and does not support, morally or financially, any group or party in any part of Ireland. It does not send money to Ireland. All its funds are spent in the United States.

HISTORIC VISION
The Irish National Caucus was the first Irish organization in history to open and maintain headquarters on Capitol Hill to lobby for justice and peace in Ireland. That fact alone tells you a lot about the vision and purpose of the Irish National Caucus – not to mention its determination and ability.

Neither Democrat nor Republican . . . But Dedicated to Getting Both Parties to Stand Up for Justice and Peace in Ireland

“No…U.S. initiative [on Northern Ireland] would have came about had it not been for the activities of the Irish National Caucus.” — Sunday News (Belfast) “Never before has the question of peace and justice in Ireland become such a subject of concern within the U.S. Congress. The heightened interest is due almost solely to the efforts of the Irish National Caucus. The expertise of INC leaders in Washington and their tireless work in the halls of Congress is a source of pride for all Americans seeking a lasting peace in Ireland.”
— The Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs

OUTSTANDING RECORD

The Irish National Caucus initiated the formation of the Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs, which over 100 Members of Congress have joined. Learn what members of Congress have said about the Irish National Caucus. “Perhaps the Caucus’ boldest success has been its efforts to create … the Committee for Irish Affairs.” –The New York Times. The Irish National Caucus with the backing of the Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs, stopped the sale of U.S. weapons to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (R.U.C.) in Northern Ireland. “High among the concerns of the Irish National Caucus is human rights in Northern Ireland. When members protested the issuance of a license to ship guns and magnum pistols to Ulster police, the shipments ceased.” –U.S. News and World Report

The Irish National Caucus in 1984 initiated proposed, and launched the MacBride Principles — a fair employment code of conduct for U.S. companies doing business in Northern Ireland. Named after the late, great Sean MacBride ofIreland, the Principles have already proven to be the most effective campaign ever against anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland. The Principles –which do not call for disinvestment, quotas or reverse discrimination — became U.S. law in October 1998.

“We did not take him [Irish National Caucus President Father Sean McManus] very seriously at first but the MacBride Principles have caused serious problems and cost millions to try to counteract.”– Department of Economic Development for Northern Ireland, Sunday Life (Belfast)”

The MacBride campaign, directed by the Irish National Caucus, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group, has won the support of the AFL-CIO and of several religious institutional shareholders including several Catholic orders and several major Protestant denominations.”
–The Wall Street Journal 

“[My father, Sean MacBride] will never be forgotten while the Principles drawn up by the Irish National Caucus are named after him.” –Tiernan MacBride

“The fanfare of publicity about new and tougher action against job discrimination, for example, is designed, at least in part, to help the British Government to counter the extremely effective campaign on the MacBride Principles which is being waged by the Irish National Caucus in the United States.” –The Irish Times (Dublin)

“I want to make a special note regarding Father Sean McManus. No one has fought harder against discrimination in Northern Ireland. Father Sean single-handedly brought the MacBride fair employment principles to . . . enactment.”
–Congressman Ben Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee

FATHER SEAN MC MANUS – FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

Fr.Sean Mc Manus,founder-president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus  was born in 1944 in County Fermanagh , one of the Six Counties in Northern Ireland—in a parish,significantly,divided by the British imposed Border.

In 1972, Church and State exiled him to the U.S. because he refused to be silent about injustice in Northern Ireland.

In 1974, he founded the Irish National Caucus:“Thus Mc Manus became Britain’s nemesis in America,the driving force that would eventually erode Britain’s influence with in the U.S. Government.” (American Policy and Northern Ireland. Professor Joseph E.Thompson).

Fr. Mc Manus has an unequaled and unprecedented record of working on Capitol Hill on the Irish issue. He has built up huge goodwill for the Irish cause and is highly respected for the non-partisan way he has pursued his mission. He has based his mission solidly on the teaching of the Catholic Church: “Action on behalf of Justice is] a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel.”(Justice in the World.1972).

In 2011 Fr. Mc Manus was chosen to serve on the World Peace Awarding Council (WPPAC). The South Korea-based Council consists of twelve international and interfaith members. In 2013, Fr. Mc Manus was selected to be the Chief Judge of WPPAC.

Fr. Mc Manus has brought out a new edition of his Memoirs: My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland, Third U.S. Edition 2019. The book now has 125 more pages and 41 more photos than the previous  2014 Edition.

The prime promoter of the book is Barbara Flaherty, Executive Vice President of the INC.

The book is available on the INC Website: Irishnationalcaucus.org,  and Amazon.com.

BARBARA FLAHERTY – EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Barbara Flaherty, a teacher, and educator has also spent many years working in the non-profit sector. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education from The University of Maryland, College Park, and holds a Master of Science Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Maryland College, graduating with a 4.0 average.

Barbara has spent two decades teaching history in the Prince George’s County, Maryland system. She said, “I love teaching, and I have worked with the best-trained educators in the country.” In 2005, she received the Outstanding Educator Award.

She is now the Executive Vice President of the Irish National Caucus. She commented, “It is an honor to be working with the Irish National Caucus  on very important human rights issues.”

Her late husband, Martin, a Galway native, first introduced her to the Irish cause at the age of 18, and since then she has been continually involved.

Barbara also serves as the prime promoter of Fr. Mc Manus’s Memoirs, My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland, Third U.S. Edition 2019, and his novels, Mac Ireland: Fight For Irish Freedom, Mac Ireland: Irish Struggle Continues and Mac Ireland: The Cause Endures. 

On October 24, 2013, in Seoul, South Korea, Barbara was presented with the World Peace Prize by the World Peace Prize Awarding Council (WPPAC) and was sworn in as Roving Ambassador for Peace.” Additionally, she has been appointed as a Judge and Corporate Manager for WPPAC.