Sinn Féin in the Big Country
Ard Comhairle member and Sligo Alderman Sean MacManus recently
visited Wisconsin and Montana as part of Sinn Féin's team in the
United States for the St. Patrick's Day period.
MacManus's trip began with a three-day stopover in Milwaukee, where,
in addition to various media engagements, he also delivered a number
of public addresses, including speaking at the University of
Wisconsin and at an Irish-American Unity Conference-sponsored event
in Madison, the state capital.
It was then on to Montana in the West, a state in which no Sinn Féin
representative had spoken since the Tan War. Despite this long
absence, support for republican aspirations has remained strong,
especially in those cities that have a historic link with Ireland:
Butte, Missoula and Helena in particular.
Friends of Sinn Féin supporters came out in each of these cities and
put together a varied and hectic schedule for MacManus. Media
interest in the visit was very high, resulting in extensive TV, radio
and print coverage. Successful meetings were held with public
representatives and officials in the three cities, including a
cordial and beneficial meeting with the State Governor Marc Racicot,
Secretary of State Mike Cooney, State Auditor Mark O'Keefe and Nancy
Keenan, who is a front runner to be Montana'a next member of
Congress. These leading public figures, along with many other public
representatives met during the visit, pledged to do everything
possible to help consolidate the Irish peace process.
Interest in political events in Ireland was also high amongst the
Montana public, as was indicated by the large crowds attending the
many public events at which MacManus spoke. Crowds of over 500
attended both the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick's dinner in Butte and
the AOH annual St. Patrick's dinner in Helena, two events at which
the Sinn Féin representative was guest speaker.
It is obvious from the response to this trip that political
developments in Ireland and Sinn Féin's central part in them are of
interest to the citizens of Montana. Let's hope that there won't be
such a long gap until the next Sinn Féin visit.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)