First we must move past the many pretenders who have rushed in to claim how much they did for the peace process in Northern Ireland. Then you will find that Bill Flynn and a precious few others stand alone as dedicated Irish Americans in that effort. For Flynn it meant he put his reputation on the line in order to help the country of his parents achieve the impossible. It was … [Read more...] about The American Optimist
Archive
A Champion of Peace in Ireland
Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Féin, writes about the crucial role that Bill Flynn played in ending the violence in Northern Ireland. ℘℘℘ Bill Flynn is widely known in the U.S.A. as one of its foremost business leaders, as well as a patron of great causes in support of humanitarian, civil liberties and health issues. In Ireland and among Irish Americans, he is also known as … [Read more...] about A Champion of Peace in Ireland
The Quest for Peace
Bill Flynn, the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, and the beginnings of the Northern Ireland peace process. ℘℘℘ The setting was the Elysée Palace in Paris. The event, a gathering of Nobel laureates in January 1988. The hosts, President François Mitterand, Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel, and the newly established Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. The individual … [Read more...] about The Quest for Peace
The Early Years
How the son of immigrants from Mayo and County Down found success in America but never forgot his Irish roots. ℘℘℘ Each year when he returns to Ireland, Bill Flynn takes time to stand at the graveside of his grandparents in Loughinisland in County Down, just over the border from the Irish Republic. It is a beautiful part of Ireland, with the Mourne mountains sweeping … [Read more...] about The Early Years
For God and Country
Edward Cardinal Egan, archbishop and cardinal of the archdiocese of New York, writes that Bill Flynn’s faith is as integral to who he is as his Irish heritage. ℘℘℘ One rarely hears the phrase “For God and Country” anymore, but years ago it was seen as an excellent model for how young men and women should order their priorities in life. If a young person made serving God and … [Read more...] about For God and Country