Strong solidarity against collusion in Northern Ireland
CAPITOL HILL.Thursday, 13 2020— There is deep concern, at the highest level in the U.S. Congress about the sad history of British government collusion in Northern Ireland/The North—including, indeed, State assassination. That the British government has colluded in the killing of many Catholics in Northern Ireland is now commonly accepted. However, when it suited, the British government was also prepared to allow their agents to kill an individual Protestant. The best known and most brutal example of this is the case of the murder of the son of Raymond McCord, Sr.— Raymond Jr. who was murdered near Belfast in 1997. Because some of those involved in the murder were British agents and police informers, the British government has gone to extraordinary lengths to cover up the murder.That government has even delayed and obstructed an Inquest, which is a rightguaranteed in British law and in Article Two of the European Convention on Human Rights. Raymond McCord, Sr. has fought a fearless and relentless battle for justice for his son, coming to Washington for the third time at the invitation of Fr. Sean McManus, president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus. He has been escorted around Congress by Fr. McManus and Barbara Flaherty, Executive President of the Irish National Caucus. The main focus of the visit was to meet to meet with two key Congressional offices: the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the U.S. Helsinki Commission. Despite the hectic Congressional schedule, Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY), Chairman of the full Foreign Affairs Committee (not just a subcommittee), met with the group for almost an hour. True to his long, consistent and superb record on equality, justice, and peace in Ireland, Chairman Engel showed deep empathy and full support for Mr. McCord’s quest for justice, stating he would do everything he could to help. Raymond McCord,Sr. said:”I want to give my heart-felt thanks to Chairman Engel for his support and for the empathy he showed to me regarding the murder on my son, Raymond, Jr. Everything he said was said in a warm and compassionate manner.” Fr. McManus concluded:”The support of Jewish-Americans in Congress, is to me one of the most inspiring experience I’ve had in my almost 50 years of pushing the Irish issue in the U.S. Congress. Chairman Engel follows in the grand tradition of my dear friend, the late, great, Jewish-American Congressman Ben Gilman (R-NY),former Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Irish-Americans must be eternally grateful for Jewish-American support.”
FDNY BOXING – BATTLE OF THE BADGES
On Friday, March 13, 2020, the FDNY Bravest Boxing Team will host the 1st annual Battle of the Badges Boxing Nationals at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The event will feature police and firefighters from across the country taking each other on in the ring for charity and company pride. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the first bout is at 7:30 PM. Tickets range from $30 – $65 and can be purchased through www.fdnyboxing.com. Proceeds will benefit Building Homes for Heroes and the Firefighter Matthew McDevitt Children’s Education Fund.
ST. PAT’S FOR ALL PARADE
Permission is granted for off-duty members to participate in the 2020 St. Pat’s for All Parade on Sunday, March 1, 2020. Participating members of the Department should assemble on 43rd Street and Skillman Avenue, Queens, NY at 1200 hours. Dress uniform, including white gloves shall be worn. For more information please contact Timothy Boyle at timothy.boyle@fdny.nyc.gov.
KNICKS FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT
The UFA has partnered with Madison Square Garden to provide special access to discounted tickets for The Knicks First Responders Night on Friday, March 6, 2020 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30 PM at Madison Square Garden. Tickets can be purchased through the link: https://tinyurl.com/Knicks1stRespondersUFAMar6. Take advantage of these offers and enjoy savings off of individual game tickets. For every ticket purchased through the link, $10 will be donated to the UFA Widows & Children’s Fund.
WTC Retired Lieutenant Paul W. Deo, Jr. Engine Company 317 WAKE Tuesday, February 11, 2020 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM & 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home 132 Ronkonkoma Avenue Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
FUNERAL Wednesday, February 12, 2020 11:00 AM St. Joseph’s Church 45 Church Street Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11798
All Off-Duty Members should attend in Class A Uniform.
On Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 1000 hours, a Street Renaming Ceremony will be held honoring the memory of retired Lieutenant Mark W. McKay, L-45, who died on April 4, 2011. The ceremony will be held at the corner of Parsifal Place & Ellis Place, Bronx, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
ON THE ARM BREAKFAST AT FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS
On Wednesday, February 12, from 8:00 -11:00 AM, all FDNY members are invited to Friends of Firefighters (199 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231) for On the Arm Breakfast. For those unfamiliar with FoF programs and services, the monthly breakfasts are a great way to see how we operate and tour our main facility, a circa 1870’s firehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn. No RSVP necessary. For more information, please email Marlo at info@friendsoffirefighters.org.
2020 NYC MARATHON PARTICIPATION WITH THE FDNY RUNNING CLUB
Any member interested in running the 2020 NYC Marathon must register for the marathon lottery with the NYRR at https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon by February 13, 2020. For more information about the marathon and the FDNY Running Club, please email Denis Sweeney, D-6 at denis.p.sweeney@gmail.com.
20 YEAR REUNION
A 20 year reunion for members in the 1/2000 probationary firefighter class will be held on February 29, 2020. For more information, please email 1stof2000@gmail.com with your name, phone number and email address.
PLUNGE FOR ELODIE
For the first time this year, in honor of Tottenville’s John Hudson Dilgen, there will be a Plunge For Elodie taking place in Staten Island. The Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 to raise funds for and bring awareness to a rare skin disease called EB & the EB Research Partnership. The Plunge will take place at the South Beach Boardwalk of Staten Island. Participants will gather on the Boardwalk in front of the Vanderbilt for check-in (9-9:25 AM) and then proceed to the beach for the Plunge (9:30 AM sharp!). You can show your support by plunging, observing, donating or all of the above. Visit https://www.plungeforelodie.org/statenisland for more information and to register.
