Eliot Engel’s attention to Irish American concerns deserves recognition

To the editor,

We read with great interest your article on the recent death of Hon. Congressman Eliot L. Engel and commend you on the very well deserved coverage. However, we were most disappointed that there was not any reference to the congressman’s involvement and strong dedication to the particular interest that he took regarding the ongoing problems in Northern Ireland throughout the last several years. Congressman Engel was stalwart on issues of Irish American concerns. A strong supporter of the Good Friday Agreement, he was also most vocal on the murder of Patrick Finucane, spoke out often on the tragedy of Bloody Sunday and the Ballymurphy Massacres along with his most strong support that he offered to the popular Malachy McAllister deportation case. He even traveled throughout the years to Northern Ireland on fact finding missions accompanied by one of our former board chairman and president of the Association, namely Bob Stauf, now of blessed memory. Indeed Congressman Engel was a true friend of the Irish American community in the Bronx and Westchester County and the American Irish Association honored him at our annual dinner dance in 2015 for his tremendous devotion to the cause. The congressman will indeed be missed greatly and may he rest in eternal peace.

CATHY MARSHALL AND MAEVE M. SCOTT

AIA of Westchester