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Updated 6.40pm
THE AMERICAN FUNDRAISING branch of Sinn Féin received close to $400,000 in donations from US-based supporters over the last 12 months, TheJournal.ie can reveal.
New US Justice Department figures, obtained by this website, show that between 1 May 2014 and 30 April 2015, the New York-based “Friends of Sinn Féin” took in $397,082 (€355,565) in donations.
That’s down from $418,271 in the previous year.
The group’s expenditure over the last 12 months was $433,969.
The party has insisted that the majority of the money stays in the United States to fund its lobbying of US politicians in furthering the Northern Ireland peace process.
Strict rules around party funding in the Republic of Ireland mean that money raised abroad doesn’t find its way into Sinn Féin’s accounts here.
Some of the funds, however, can legally be spent in Northern Ireland.
Labour TD Derek Nolan today accused Sinn Féin of ‘pitching a Galway tent in New York’ referring to the infamous fundraising tent that Fianna Fáil had at the Galway Races.
“Remember the outcry from Sinn Fein at builders and developers swanning around the exclusive Fianna Fail tent at the Galway races? Remember the outrage at luxurious fundraising events costing hundreds and thousands euro at five star hotels, totally unaffordable for the average person?” the Galway-West TD said.
Imagine how Sinn Fein would have decried a €15,000 donation to a political party from a construction conglomerate or wealthy former bankers? Sinn Fein’s fundraising practices are simply not compatible with the rhetoric and phoney imagery they like to project.
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), groups acting or fundraising on behalf of foreign-based organisations are required to file statements with the US government twice a year.
In the six months from May to November 2014, Friends of Sinn Féin (FOSF) took in $6,971, but recorded $390,111 from November 2014 until 30 April 2015.
The vast bulk of that is understood to have been raised at FOSF’s $500/plate annual dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan, last November.
The event, attended by party president Gerry Adams and TD Pearse Doherty, raised eyebrows at home, with Tánaiste Joan Burton pointing out in the Dáil that the cost of a ticket was more than what the average family would pay in water charges.
The vast majority of Sinn Féin’s US individual and business donors come from the New York region, but in total, 14 American states – from Ohio to Alabama – are represented, along with the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Nova Scotia.
The biggest single contributer to the group in the last year was United Structural Works, a steel fabricator in Rockland County, New York, which gave $20,000.
Its president, Cormach Murrihy, originally from Ratoath, Co Meath, told TheJournal.ie the donation was “purely for personal reasons.”
It’s down to the wonderful work [Sinn Féin] is doing, north and south of the border. It’s really an inspiring organisation, and luckily I’m in a position [to contribute].
The group’s latest statement also shows that 13 Sinn Féin representatives and advisers made 33 visits to nine different cities, primarily New York and Washington DC, but also including Philadelphia, Chicago, and Boston, among others.
Gerry Adams visited New York for the November gala, and again over the St Patrick’s Day period, when he also took a trip to DC.
Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald attended events in New Orleans in March, while TDs Pearse Doherty and Peadar Tóibín went to New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Chicago.
Just last week, the party’s former Westminster MP Conor Murphy was briefing US politicians on the current political crisis over welfare reforms in the North.
The party maintains this is what the money raised in the US pays for. A well-placed source explained:
The vast majority of Friends of Sinn Féin money stays in the States. It pays for the lobbying operation and pays for people to go and lobby. It’s not money coming back into the party.
In response to questions from TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson for Sinn Féin said all fundraising and spending by FOSF was “fully transparent and compliant with all US laws and regulations.”
Funds raised by FOSF are used in the USA to promote the cause of Irish Unity and the peace process.
For example, [through] speaking events, maintaining an office in New York, political briefing, etc…
TheJournal.ie requested comment from Friends of Sinn Féin, but did not receive a response.
You can read the full list of donors to Friends of Sinn Féin, as well as US trips by party representatives, here.
- with reporting by Hugh O’Connell
Originally published 6.34am
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Push notification – ah here
@Mills: haha I reckon it only went to people who opened the story earlier… Scarlett for Yer ma!! :p
@Mills: You only get them if you have push notifications turned on for the app…
@Mills: I still get push notifications of sports scores for some reason. It’s head wrecking because that’s why I turned them off! They just ruin the result of matches, fights etc. that I want to watch later. My work phone has them on and I got one for this story on it but I don’t use the journal on that phone so I’d imagine it was just sent to everyone.
@Mills: I switched them as they seem think any old nonsense is worthy.
I really liked our entry. The young man is a nice singer. Good luck in final.
Fair play! That’s a lovely little song. Deserved!
@Callum: Yes. but sounds a bit too much like stings Every breath you take. hope i’m wrong.
Marty Whelan needs a new pair of jocks.
Brilliant !!!!! I am counting down the days until Saturday night now
@David Clarke: I think I’m happier for Marty than the lad singing.
He should be fine, he has been a (disc) jockey for 40 years…
@Alana: i know, but wheres all the haters gone????
@Alana: 4 days
@Alana: About four days Al.
YES!! Well deserved. Great song and perfect performance.
Well done Ryan Shaughnessy fantastic performance of a beautiful song!!
@Anne O’Farrell: O’ Anne Farrell how could you?
Woohoo!!!!!
@Jane: You guys, keep it down,
@Patabake Kennedy: sorry
@Jane: Ah, well, hope that we relive the yeaster years. Cheers.
Marty almost in tears. The two lads having the, eh, fun in the background would have appealed to the voters.
Great, we won’t have to dig up Dana..
@Dingleberrycity: is Dana dead?
@Denis McGrath: haven’t laughed that hard in years, nice one lads.
@David Ryan: hilarious. Love it.
Yes!!! Finally, well have qualified, I can’t believe it, feels like we won it, Amazing! Well Done!
Praise Jesus! I can sleep sound tonight!
@Tweety McTweeter: amen
Delighted……. But some of the pure Sh@ite that qualified was unbelievable……
Congratulations Ireland
@Isabel Oliveira: @men
We do got the gay vote with the background thing going on haahh
@kevinhunt101: He’s a good singer but the song is only average, nothing special. You can bet it was the “gay vote” that got us through.
@Shane Corry: always one begrudger.
@kevinhunt101: “the gay vote” lmao. Its the bloody Eurovision. Its ALL the gay vote.
Better get the 3 arena ready for next year so.
@Tom Harpur: Pairc Ui Chaoimh
@Tom Harpur: *The Point
@Tom Harpur: back to Millstreet-that was some coup, bringing the Eurovision to a horse arena…..
@Tom Harpur: The phone box in rathmines
@Tom Harpur: need not bother, rte strapped for cash.
In fairness i thought it was the best song in the group….that’s just me very catchy the more ya listen to it .
I’ll put down the rosary beads so
@Joe Giggs Curran:
Do you think it would be a fire hazard if I keep these candles lit?
What’s another year?
@Mark Johnson:
@Sinéad: haha :)
Woohoo what a night to be Irish
@Kenneth O Brien: best in the world
Bout time
DO….NOT…..CARE.
@Neil A Campbell: What’s sad about your comment is that you clearly have nobody else to tell that to only strangers on the internet that DO….NOT…CARE!!
@Neil A Campbell: Clearly! You open the article, scroll to the end AND comment and you expect us to believe you don’t care?! Ha
The glory days have returned.
Can’t believe Isreal is heavily fancied!
@Daithi De Roiste: if that Israeli song wins… They should cancel the Eurovision for good!
@Sean Leonard: What’s the problem? Israeli good.
@Daithi De Roiste: Home come they let an apartheid country from the middle east take part ?
@MrMagoo: I agree, MrMagoo. Turkey should be kicked out. After actually completing the ethnic cleansing of Armenians and Pontic Greeks from mainland Turkey and actually ethnically cleansed Greeks and most Maronites from Northern Cyprus as well as having constructed a separation wall there, and currently ethnically cleansing Kurds while imposing a different legal system on them, Turkey should be kicked out. *facepalm*
@MrMagoo: Exactly, coming from Europe, stealing the native peoples land and committing genocide against them and subjecting those that survived to second class status and discrimination – oh no wait, that’s Australia oops
@Damon16: ah stop Australia was robbed at Eurovision as well!
The Gay dancers clinched it for us
@Tim The Bear: Exactly! RTE played the homosexual card and it came up trumps but it won’t save them on Saturday night! Song itself is crap. As for Israeli entry total garbage, don’t know how that could be fancied. Estonia streets ahead of the competition so far!
That’s made my week, open top bus for Ryan when he returns on Saturday.
@Aging Lothario: Ah at least give him a chance to perform in the final. We can do the bus on Sunday.
Get all the kids back to school to practice waving minature tricolours to line the route.
This truly is breaking news
Jesus didn’t see that coming. At least it might shut up the let’s send Dustin again crowd!
Not bad …. not bad at all !
Bloody delighted!!! Roll on Saturday night.
Do I care??? Eh…no!!!
@Michael Carolan: Cared enough to click on the article and comment though!
@Sean O’Shea: Yep. Giving my opinion.
@Michael Carolan: I’m sure people care that you don’t care. Even if the Eurovision is not your cu of tea as it is not mine, Surely you will support a fellow Irishman. We don’t do well at much as a country so I will certainly we rooting for him.
Our song was miles better
Such dribble but Marti gives it a boost with the slagging off :-)
How did Rugged Island get on?
Israel heavily fancied hehe
@Aimoo: #freepalestine
Ah, Israel have good songs, but we have to try harder not to win.
@James_665: #freepalestinefromhamas fixed it for you
He was great! Bit of a sam smith vibe!
That’s Saturday sorted
Enjoy it, that’s as far as you’ll get.
@James O’Brien: I bet you are wrong we will get in the Top 4 and might win ..Up Ireland.
Soooo happy wahoooo
Did not warrant a notification on my phone!
Must change my settings ,its wasting my time as we speak
ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ
A bunch of begrudges!
Don’t fancy our chances up against Björk’s mother singing for Israel.
LOOKING FORWARD TO GRAHAM NORTONS COMMENTS ON IT.
Not good, after our previous mortifying attempts it might have been less cruel if Ireland’s name wasn’t mentioned.
Push notification for this nonsense? Ya know Trump just tore up the Iran deal?
@Cathal O’Neill: why did you run?
@Cathal O’Neill: Turn off push notifications then.
@Cathal O’Neill: Its a nice escape from the horrific trumpamzee shyte that’s in the news every other hour of the day.
@Cathal O’Neill: another promise kept.
Hear we go from Rte All kinds of everything reruns
Just heard the good news.. Congratulations Ryan .
#KeepTheRecoveryGoing
Hadn’t a clue it was on.Must have missed Irish competition
Best of luck to whoever it was.About time.
Is it worldvision song contest.?
@Peter Coen: Think that’s the charity. Don’t sing as far as I know.
Sure the rest of them just want to party for 10 days in ireland!
and the orher half of them will hide in Guinness barrels so not to go home!!
That’s a bit gay..
What a load of shiiite
Another reprehensible,useless, contribution towards obscurity.
@Red Pirate 71: The song or your comment?
Never seen so much shite in one place in all me life.
@Tony O Neill: Ill look forward to you comment saturday night too
yawn
What an Anemic song, sounds like a demo track, singer has all the depth and power of a 90 year old doing a pee. But yeah great stuff!!
Yeah
Who gives a f#@k
@Caroline Mullin: People who open the article, scroll to the end and then take the time to post a comment. So clearly you give a f#@k
@Caroline Mullin: calm down Caroline, you’ll give yourself a nosebleed!
“Damn you Father Dick Byrne!”
Good to see what I’m paying a TV licence for, utter sh*te.
Media hyping up israel. Load of garbage.
Great Ireland qualified for Eurovision with together. Hope it’s a good sign for #Together4Yes
Anything higher than Null Point and it’s an open top bus victory parade
Congrats Ryan – love the song
The Eurovision is a freak show…
And sadly thats as far as it goes ..
WE WON…!!!! WE WON….!!!
I thought the song was awful. Awful shame Switzerland didn’t make it though.
Like we give a crap!!
RTE will be shi**ing a brick.
RTÉ will be lobbying and pushing for doubled and tripled licences for everything, as usual. Any day now I expect to be forced to buy a dog licence for the privilege of walking through a public park.
Ever heard of GDPR, Journal? F*ck off.
@Paddy Reid: ???
What load bulls* *t.
‘Twas The Gay Snow that won it!
It’s this sort of crap, if merely a minor irritation with the really pretty shitty state of the value systems in Irish society right now, that tempts me to try and spend a long weekend in Switzerland, on some bleak estate, gearing up for that self-imposed injection in my arm…
Yahoo 2 are in no wait until they complain about payment if IRELAND WIN.
have your say