The latest happenings with TMG in Boston's political, business and Irish communities.
Showing posts with label Massachusetts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Massachusetts. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Irish Network Boston President Sean P. Moynihan discusses Boston Ireland Business Connections
Monday, March 9, 2015
Five Minutes with Sean Moynihan
The following article was printed in the March 7th issue of the Irish Emigrant-Boston and appeared on Irish Central's website http://www.irishcentral.com/culture/community/Five-minutes-with-irish-Network-Boston-President-Sean-Moynihan.html It is re-printed here with permission.
Five minutes with Irish Network Boston President, Séan Moynihan
The Irish Emigrant | @IrishEmigrant | March 12,2015 | 12:30 PM
Five minutes with Irish Network Boston President, Séan Moynihan
The Irish Emigrant | @IrishEmigrant | March 12,2015 | 12:30 PM
Irish Network Boston is hosting it's biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration ever with their annual party to take place at the Massachusetts State House on March 13. The event which has become a firm favorite on the Boston Irish social calendar is also an opportunity to toast to the organization as it celebrates it's 5th Anniversary. The Irish Emigrant caught up with Attorney Sean P. Moynihan, the founder and principal of The Moynihan Group and President of IN Boston to talk about his role and the St. Patrick's day celebration.
How have you enjoyed your role as President of IN Boston?
How have you enjoyed your role as President of IN Boston?
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far as President of IN Boston. I did not appreciate, however, how time consuming it could become! What makes it easier is that we have a tremendous board of directors and very supportive Consul General and together we work very hard to meet and hopefully exceed the expectations of our members and of the Irish government. I think I enjoy the outreach the most – the opportunity to connect with people in Boston and beyond that share an interest in and a passion for Ireland. As we move forward, we are considering new initiatives such as a mentorship program and a volunteer/charitable program where we can have the opportunity to give back to the Boston community.
Your thoughts on the year ahead for Irish Network Boston
I am very excited about 2015 for several reasons. First and foremost, we turn 5 years old this year! The organization is still very young but it is nonetheless remarkable that 5 years have passed by.
Second, Boston will play host to the annual Irish Network USA National Conference in November of this year. This will be a great opportunity to showcase our incredible city to members of Irish Networks throughout the country - of which there are currently 20. Over a 3 day period, we will meet with our colleagues, Ambassador Anne Anderson, our Consul General Breandán O'Caollaí and many of our city’s leaders in business, government, education and the arts. Among some of the highlights will be a signature event in celebration of our 5 year anniversary where our members and guests can celebrate with their colleagues from our sister city Irish Networks. I have already spoken with colleagues from places like Seattle, Washington, DC and Chicago and they are very excited about coming to Boston.
Finally, we will be re-launching our website this year. The site is actually live now and members will get a sample of it when renewing membership and/or registering for the St Patrick’s Day party but we plan a formal launch for April/May time period. The site will have significant more content for members to enjoy and there will be an active “community” section where members can network virtually. We will have other fun content like Irish historical facts and a Member of the Month selection. We will be sending members a formal announcement soon on the website re-launch.
What can people expect from this year's IN Boston St. Patrick's Day Celebrations on March 13?
Your thoughts on the year ahead for Irish Network Boston
I am very excited about 2015 for several reasons. First and foremost, we turn 5 years old this year! The organization is still very young but it is nonetheless remarkable that 5 years have passed by.
Second, Boston will play host to the annual Irish Network USA National Conference in November of this year. This will be a great opportunity to showcase our incredible city to members of Irish Networks throughout the country - of which there are currently 20. Over a 3 day period, we will meet with our colleagues, Ambassador Anne Anderson, our Consul General Breandán O'Caollaí and many of our city’s leaders in business, government, education and the arts. Among some of the highlights will be a signature event in celebration of our 5 year anniversary where our members and guests can celebrate with their colleagues from our sister city Irish Networks. I have already spoken with colleagues from places like Seattle, Washington, DC and Chicago and they are very excited about coming to Boston.
Finally, we will be re-launching our website this year. The site is actually live now and members will get a sample of it when renewing membership and/or registering for the St Patrick’s Day party but we plan a formal launch for April/May time period. The site will have significant more content for members to enjoy and there will be an active “community” section where members can network virtually. We will have other fun content like Irish historical facts and a Member of the Month selection. We will be sending members a formal announcement soon on the website re-launch.
What can people expect from this year's IN Boston St. Patrick's Day Celebrations on March 13?
We have changed our venue again for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration which will be held at the Massachusetts State House. I am thrilled about this location as I spent 11 years working in the House of Representatives as an aide and an attorney. Given the historical significance of the building itself, which served as a model for the United States Capitol building, and that March 17th is also Evacuation Day - when the Continental Army held Dorchester Heights in South Boston and forced British troops to retreat and evacuate the city – we and the Consul General felt that a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the State House was long overdue.
We are excited this year to have two Irish craft brews for guests to sample. Dingle Brewing Company of Dingle, County Kerry will provide samples of their new craft brew – Crean’s (which will be distributed by one of our long time and generous sponsors Burke Distributing) and Carlow Brewing Company of Bagenalstown, County Carlow will provide sample’s of their stout O’Hara’s.
As always we will have our signature Guinness beef stew and our mashed potato bar – which was the brainchild of our first President Dave Greaney. This year we will be entertained by trad Irish band Hogan’s Goat and the Brady Kenny O'Brien Irish Dance Academy.
Purchase your tickets for this year's Irish Network Boston St. Patrick's Day Party or learn more about Irish Network Boston at www.irishnetworkboston.net
We are excited this year to have two Irish craft brews for guests to sample. Dingle Brewing Company of Dingle, County Kerry will provide samples of their new craft brew – Crean’s (which will be distributed by one of our long time and generous sponsors Burke Distributing) and Carlow Brewing Company of Bagenalstown, County Carlow will provide sample’s of their stout O’Hara’s.
As always we will have our signature Guinness beef stew and our mashed potato bar – which was the brainchild of our first President Dave Greaney. This year we will be entertained by trad Irish band Hogan’s Goat and the Brady Kenny O'Brien Irish Dance Academy.
Purchase your tickets for this year's Irish Network Boston St. Patrick's Day Party or learn more about Irish Network Boston at www.irishnetworkboston.net
Séan Moynihan with (Left) Consul General of Ireland to Boston, Breandán Ó Caollaí, (Middle) Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Monday, March 17, 2014
Sean Moynihan takes on new role as President of Irish Network Boston (IN Boston)
This article appeared in the Irish Emigrant newspaper in March. It is reprinted here with permission.
http://www.irishemigrant.com/ie/go.asp?p=story&storyID=18704
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| • Irish News • Irish Entertainment • Irish Blogs • Boston Irish News |
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
TMG announces new Dublin client – IA Innovation,Inc.
Focus on business development for Dublin branch of Boston-based Innovative leadership and employee training company
Technorati Tags: Boston,Dublin,Massachusetts,The Moynihan Group,foreign direct investment,IA Innovation,Improv Asylum,Ireland
The Moynihan Group, LLC (TMG) is pleased to announce its newest client in Dublin, Ireland - IA Innovation, Inc. IA Innovation is a Boston-based corporate training company, which has expanded to Ireland as part of the "Succeed in Ireland" initiative, and will serve businesses throughout Europe. Spawned from the success of Improv Asylum, a multi-faceted entertainment company that launched in May of 1998 in Boston’s historic North End, IA Innovation was created to focus on the growing European demand for innovative and effective corporate employee training. IA will utilize a trademarked brand, methodology and approach to European multinational companies.
TMG will provide relationship facilitation and business development services to IA Innovation throughout the island of Ireland and into Europe by targeting companies and organizations in need of Corporate Leadership and Employee Training programs. Relying on its strong network of professional contacts, TMG’s efforts will include outreach to corporate, government, non-profit and educational organizations.
“We believe our success as an innovative training leader in America will readily translate here in Dublin and beyond, and create a much needed and accessible vehicle to all of our European clients. We are very excited to be partnering with The Moynihan Group in our efforts to establish strong and long lasting relationships within Dublin, throughout the entire island of Ireland, Great Britain and Europe," said IA Innovation partner Robert Melley.
“We are thrilled to be working with IA Innovation because this company embodies the type of cutting edge business we feverishly seek to partner with. The tremendous success of IA Innovation’s partner company Improv Asylum is a true testament to the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in Boston and is an indication of the success in store for IA Innovation. Accordingly, in our opinion, a move into Ireland is one of the best strategic decisions the company could have made. Working with a Boston company in Ireland uniquely fits directly into our business plan and we look forward to a very productive 2014! ” said Sean P. Moynihan, Principal and Founder of The Moynihan Group.
IA Innovation is based in Dublin and managed and operated by partners Chet Harding, Norm Laviolette and Robert Melley. IA Innovation focuses on innovative training methods designed to teach and deliver the tools necessary to become more effective leaders and accountable employees through effective communication, listening, team building skills, and more.
For more information, please contact TMG at (617) 778-0384 inquiries@themoynihangroup.com or Kimberley Ring, Ring Communications at (617) 957-9232 kim@ring-communications.com
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Moynihan appeals to Holder on Boston College subpoena case
Attorney Sean P. Moynihan joined with other American lawyers long experienced with the Irish conflict to make a dramatic St Patrick’s Day appeal to U. S. Attorney General Holder to re-examine Britain’s use of a U.S.-U.K. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in light of its failure to conduct a public inquiry into the murder of civil and human rights attorney Patrick Finucane. The public hearing was a legal obligation stipulated in the 1998 Irish peace pact (the Good Friday Agreement), a Treaty registered with the United Nations.
“The United States has an opportunity here to make an impact on several fronts with regard to the provisions of the Good Friday Accord. The abuse of the MLAT treaty to invade the privacy of individuals seeking to bring closure to years of sectarian divide is reprehensible. Our government played a key role as negotiator and facilitator during the peace process deliberations and worked tirelessly to see that the final Agreement came to fruition. We must not turn our backs now. Further, recognition of the failure of a proper inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane, pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement, is certainly relevant as we consider our position regarding the subpoenas,” Moynihan said.
“American support for the Irish peace process,” stated Thomas J. Burke Jr. Esq., National President of the Irish American Unity Conference, “has been mocked by Britain’s ignoring the justice provisions of the pact which also included obligations on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings by members of the British Army and a re-examination of the murders of 800 Catholics for police and security forces collusion. What kind of message do we send to other nations when we give a pass to England on its Treaty obligations?”
Stated Sean Downes, President of the Brehon Law Society: “Attorney General Holder must act as the conscience of the country and weigh the failures of Britain in the Finucane inquiry with their demands in other areas e.g. processing their subpoenas to conduct a political fishing expedition into the Irish archives of Boston College.” For more information on the Belfast Project click here.
The contents of the letter follows:
March 17, 2013
Honorable Eric H. Holder Jr.
Attorney General
U. S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Rm. 5115
Washington, D. C. 20530
Dear Attorney General Holder:
This letter is to call your attention to a matter of deep concern to us as lawyers, which we believe should be considered as the Justice Department processes subpoenas issued to Boston College for records contained in its Irish archives. The subpoenas have been requested by Britain under the terms of the US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (“MLAT”). The issue of the validity of the subpoenas is currently in litigation and the subject of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, Sup. Ct. No. No. 12-627.
In particular, in considering its position with respect to the subpoenas, we believe that the Justice Department must take into account that the requesting nation has steadfastly refused to conduct a public inquiry into the murder of civil rights lawyer Patrick Finucane, contrary to the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement between Ireland and the U.K. As you are undoubtedly aware, Mr. Finucane was assassinated in 1989, in front of his family during Sunday dinner, in an attempt to intimidate those who may seek justice from the government of the U.K. Many of us worked with Patrick, and many others were familiar with his exemplary work defending clients in his position as an officer of Her Majesty’s court in Northern Ireland. British Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted that the police, military and intelligence services all conspired to murder Mr. Finucane. Yet, in October 2011, Mr. Cameron inexplicably informed Mr. Finucane’s widow and family that the U.K. government would not conduct a public inquiry into his murder. We believe this refusal was and remains in violation of the Good Friday Agreement and the terms of the Weston Park Agreement.
As you perform your statutory duties and fulfill your obligations under the MLAT, we urge that you weigh carefully the questionable conduct of Great Britain unilaterally deciding to not meet its obligations under the Good Friday Agreement. This raises a serious concern as to whether this was done to insure that those responsible would not be held accountable for Mr. Finucane’s murder.
We appeal to you not only as our country’s chief law enforcement officer but also as a lawyer who shares with us a deep commitment to civil rights, justice, and due process of law. We ask that you ensure that the U.S. judicial process not be used to actively aid a nation which will not hold accountable the murderers of an officer of the court. We hope that you will follow the views of Secretary of State John Kerry on the importance of avoiding the U.K.’s abuse of the MLAT in the Boston College subpoena case.
Respectfully yours,
Thomas J. Burke Jr. Esq. CO
National President
IAUC
Francis Boyle Esq., Professor ILL
School of Law
University of Illinois
James J. Cotter III Esq. MA
James P. Cullen Esq. NY
Brigadier General JAG (Retired)
John Dearie Esq. NY
Former Member
NYS Assembly
Sean J. Downes Esq. President
Brehon Law Society
Albert Doyle Esq. FL
Former Counsel
Texaco
Robert Dunne Esq. NY
Past President
Brehon Law Society
John Philip Foley Esq. MA
Thomas Fox Esq. NY
Martin Galvin Esq. NY
AOH Div. #5 President Bx
Martin Glennon Esq. NY
Peter Kissel Esq. MD
Chair, Human Rights, IAUC
Thomas A. Lambert Esq. NY
President, AOH Div. #1, Erie CO
Richard Lawler Esq. CT
Vice-Chair
Irish Northern Aid Committee
Edmund E. Lynch Esq. MD
Chairman
Lawyers Alliance for Justice
Stephen McCabe NY
Member, Brehon Law Society
Edward G. McCormick Esq. MA
William McNally Esq. MA
L. James Miller Esq. MA
Sean P. Moynihan Esq. MA
Jessica O’Kane Esq., MD
Member, Brehon Law Society
Judge Andrew L. Somers Esq. Retired WI
Past National President, IAUC
Patrick Sturdy Esq. MI
National Counsel, AOH
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Another Year - Another Budget
The Fiscal Year state budget process in Massachusetts begins with the release of the Governor's budget in January and continues with the release of the House Ways and Means budget in April.
The Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee (HWM) has released its spending recommendations for Fiscal Year 2013 coming in at $32.3 billion. There are some stark comparisons between this proposal (House 4100) and the Governor’s budget (House 1) that was released in January. The major difference is an increase in funding to municipalities across the Commonwealth (local aid) including funds for municipal services (fire and police), so-called Chapter 70 - pursuant to the education reform law of 1993, special education funding, and school transportation costs among others.
The HWM budget fully funds capacity for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) providing local officials with a realistic view forward to assist with budget preparations. Many localities have been hit hard with the downturn in the economy and services over the past 4-5 years have been reduced considerably in many communities. The HWM budget reflects an increase in local aid over FY 2012. Highlights of local aid funding:
The HWM budget does not include a proposal included in House 1 to increase taxes on cigarettes and candy which would have brought in an estimated $260 M. This initiative was proposed in the FY 2012 Governor’s budget as well and met a similar fate. The HWM budget also did not include the administration’s proposal to adjust the corporate excise tax factor which would have brought in an estimated $10 million in new revenue. House leaders thought the this would send the wrong message to businesses given the current state of the economy.
Other highlights of the HWM FY 2013 budget include:
Formal debate on the FY 2013 House budget will begin on Monday April 23, 2012 at which time House members will consider and debate some 870 amendments that have been filed with the House Clerk’s office.
The House budget document, amendments and additional information can be found here.
The Governor's budget can be found here.
The Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee (HWM) has released its spending recommendations for Fiscal Year 2013 coming in at $32.3 billion. There are some stark comparisons between this proposal (House 4100) and the Governor’s budget (House 1) that was released in January. The major difference is an increase in funding to municipalities across the Commonwealth (local aid) including funds for municipal services (fire and police), so-called Chapter 70 - pursuant to the education reform law of 1993, special education funding, and school transportation costs among others.
The HWM budget fully funds capacity for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) providing local officials with a realistic view forward to assist with budget preparations. Many localities have been hit hard with the downturn in the economy and services over the past 4-5 years have been reduced considerably in many communities. The HWM budget reflects an increase in local aid over FY 2012. Highlights of local aid funding:
- Unrestricted General Government Aid fully funded - no reliance potential, one time, funding sources - at $898M;
- Increases Chapter 70 to $4.15B (a $163M increase) for local, regional and voc schools;
- Special Ed “circuit breaker” funding increased to $221.5 (an $8.4M increase);
- Homeless student transportation for the first time in state history at $11.3M;
- Increases funding for regional school transportation by $2M ($45 M total).
The HWM budget does not include a proposal included in House 1 to increase taxes on cigarettes and candy which would have brought in an estimated $260 M. This initiative was proposed in the FY 2012 Governor’s budget as well and met a similar fate. The HWM budget also did not include the administration’s proposal to adjust the corporate excise tax factor which would have brought in an estimated $10 million in new revenue. House leaders thought the this would send the wrong message to businesses given the current state of the economy.
Other highlights of the HWM FY 2013 budget include:
- Electronic benefit transfer cards used by public assistance recipients;
- Close a mental health hospital in Taunton,
- Repeal the ban on gifts to doctors from pharmaceutical companies;
- Adoption in part of Gov’s initiative (as highlighted in his State of the Commonwealth Address) to change the governance of the community colleges and improve curriculum coordination between the community colleges. The Globe editorialized on April 18th “ Wisely, the new House Ways and Means budget protects the administration’s efforts to require the two-year colleges to play a stronger role in economic development. (Boston Globe Editorial April 18, 2012).
Formal debate on the FY 2013 House budget will begin on Monday April 23, 2012 at which time House members will consider and debate some 870 amendments that have been filed with the House Clerk’s office.
The House budget document, amendments and additional information can be found here.
The Governor's budget can be found here.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Moynihan Builds Ireland-Massachusetts Bridges
IRISH ECHO | NEWS AND VIEWS | BY PETER MCDERMOTT | FEBRUARY 15TH, 2012
Sean P. Moynihan speaking at the Northwest Ireland Conference in November
“Patience and perseverance,” said John Quincy Adams, “have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”
Sean P. Moynihan agrees with that piece of wisdom from a Boston lawyer of another era. Indeed, he has the quote on the homepage of the Moynihan Group, a legal and consultancy firm with a particular focus on nurturing links between Massachusetts and the island of Ireland.
“With a certain amount of time, frustration can creep in as well,” Moynihan conceded, but he has seen patience and perseverance get results in Northern Ireland.
“Belfast has come an awful long way. I remember when I was first there in 2001, there was still a sense of sectarianism just driving through the various neighborhoods,” he recalled. “And when I was there in 2009, it was pretty dramatic, from an American’s perspective, how much that had changed.
“The grassroots effort was impressive.
“Unfortunately that’s not what you always read about,” he said. “There’s something to be said for people like me to actually get over there and to see what’s happening in the communities and all the organization that’s going on.
“I think tapping into the diaspora is essential,” he said. By that he doesn’t simply mean in places like New York, Boston and other cities with well-established ties to Ireland. “You have pockets of communities throughout the United States that are interested in what’s happening not just in the Republic and in Dublin, but with what’s happening in Northern Ireland as well.”
On his first trip, he said, he fell in love with Derry City, although his own family roots are in Counties Clare and Kerry. He is enthusiastic about its selection as UK City of Culture for 2013, seeing it as a huge opportunity for the entire northwest of the island.
Moynihan is not naïve about the challenges facing the North’s economy, however. He said that the task of reducing dependence on government money – 70 percent of Derry jobs are in the state sector – is a difficult one. It would certainly help Northern Ireland’s cause if it had a corporate tax rate close to or the same as the Republic’s, but he pointed out the immediate downside of lowering it: “A considerable amount would be lost in terms of revenue to Northern Ireland.”
He attributes his prioritizing the question “where will that money be made up from?” to his experience as counsel for the House Committee on Ways and Means in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
“A new program, a new initiative — you’ve got to find the money some place,” he said.
“It was a great experience,” Moynihan added about that particular job, but he has had other roles that have built his political resume in the 20 years since he graduated cum laude from Providence College (he’s also a 2001 cum laude graduate of Suffolk University Law School’s evening division program).
He’s worked on campaigns, been chairman of the Northboro Democratic Town Committee, volunteered for the party at the state level and been counsel to the Massachusetts House majority leader.
His job at the House Committee on Way and Means, in particular, gave him a familiarity with a wide variety of policy areas. So he was well qualified when he branched out with the founding of the Moynihan Group, which helps companies and non-profit groups negotiate the political system.
“Sometimes they wouldn’t know what the first step would be,” Moynihan explained about clients, “and they’d talk with me and I’d provide them with a roadmap, if you will, on how to get done what they needed to get done.”
Moynihan is not at all squeamish about the word “lobbyist.” He is one, he said. “In some circles that’s become a dirty word,” he added. “And it’s unfortunate, because people need advocacy and everyone has a right to be heard before their government, just like they have a right to be heard in court.”
His consulting and volunteer efforts beyond Massachusetts’ shores have included working with Derry City Council, the William J. Clinton Center in Enniskillen, Fermanagh College, also in Enniskillen, and Mary Immaculate College of Limerick.
Moynihan is vice-president for global partnerships with the Boston Irish Business Association (www.bibaboston.com) and he’s the vice-chairman of Irish Network Boston (irishnetworkboston.org).
The latter organization will host Taoiseach Enda Kenny at a function in Boston on Friday night. “It will be interesting to hear from him and what he has to say about what’s happening,” Moynihan said.
Somehow he also finds the time to coach his 6-year-old daughter Maeve’s soccer team. He and his wife Lynn also have a son, Declan, who’s 2½.
“Having kids gives you a new perspective on everything. We have a lot of fun with them,” Moynihan said. “It’s hard to imagine life without them and it’s hard to remember life before the kids came along.”
For more information go to www.themoynihangroup.com.
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