Brehon Law Society

of Nassau County

• Who are we?
• Our recent activities
• Contact info

Who are We?

The Brehon Law Society  takes its name from the body of ancient Celtic law that defined and governed legal relationships on the island of Ireland.  From earliest times, Brehon Law was distinguished by its egalitarianism and by its respect for fundamental rights and liberties.  Inspired by the strongly humanitarian tradition embodied in the Brehon law, the members of the Brehon Law Society strive to use their talents to protect, to defend, and to extend human rights, principally - but not exclusively - in the north of Ireland. more>>

• What is the Brehon Law Society of Nassau County?

• What are the goals of the Brehon Law Society?

• Who belongs to the Brehon Law Society?

• Why should you join the Brehon Law Society?

• Membership Application

The Brehon Law Society of Nassau County participates in the Brehon Council,  comprised of officers of Brehon Law Societies in New York, Long Island and Westchester and a number of prominent public officials.  Its members have been deeply involved in the issues discussed on this site. 

Press Releases

These are some recent press releases issued by the Brehon Law Society. You may want to search for topics by keyword. 

• January 4, 2006 -- Brehons Call for Restoration of  Democratic Institutions
• November 8, 2005 -- Brehons Denounce Adams Visa Restrictions
• July 28, 2005 -- Brehons Welcome IRA Decommissioning
• October 1, 2004 -- Ulster Unionist Fundraiser Thwarted

Our Recent Activities

• Consul General Tim O'Connor - On May 22, 2006 Meeting was addressed by main speaker Tim O'Connor, Consul General of Ireland, and by Malachy McAllister, political refugee who continues to fight deportation, and by Paddy O'Hanlon, a veteran civil rights campaigner.  more>>
   
• DUP Discussions - On April 5, 2006, a small delegation of Brehon members  had the opportunity to meet with Democratic Unionist Party MPs Peter Robinson, Jeffrey Donaldson and Iris Donaldson during their trip to New York.   The two hour conference provided a rare opportunity for  a frank and wide-ranging exchange of views between that party's representatives and members of the Irish American community.
   
• Meeting with Gerry Adams - Brehons met on March 14, 2006 with Gerry Adams, following a presentation by the Sinn Fein leader on the relevance of the lessons of the Irish peace process to other international conflicts around the world.  more>>
   
• Call for Restoration of Good Friday Institutions In January, 2006 we joined other Irish American organizations in demanding that the British government restore democratic institutions in the north of Ireland.  more>>
   
• Adams Visa Restrictions In November, 2005 we were prominent in criticizing the Bush Administration for imposing visa restrictions  on Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams to the detriment of the Irish peace process.  more>>
   
• NYS Attorney General Eliot Spitzer joined us for lunch and an update on Irish issues on May 3, 2004.  more>>
   
• Sean Mackin was the featured guest at our May, 2004 meeting. He is a well known Irish republican, originally from Belfast and has for many years been a resident of New York City.  He is an American citizen who won political refugee status in a landmark decision a number of years ago in the US courts.  Seán was arrested and detained while visiting his family in Belfast during the Easter weekend in a blatant attempt to chill Irish American activism and to derail the Irish peace process.  more>>
   
• St. Patrick's Day Party Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was our guest of honor at our St. Patrick's Day party in Manhattan on March 19, 2004
   
• Eamonn Dornan and Malachy McAllister
  On December 9, 2003, Eamonn Dornan Esq. and Malachy McAllister updated us on the struggle of the McAllister family to remain safely in the United States as political refugees from Northern Ireland. 
   
• Police Reform after the Good Friday Agreement - Potential Unfulfilled?
  On November 10, 2003, Patrick J. Lynch, President of the NYC Patrolmen's Benevolent Association reported to us on the current status of police reform in the six counties.  Click here for Photos
   
• John McNicholl
  In July, 2003, we lent our support to protest the deportation of political refugee John McNichol.  more>>
   
• Jeanie Johnston Reception
  On July 10, 2003 The Brehon Law Societies of the NY Metro area sponsored a cocktail party on board the Jeanie Johntson,  a replica of a 19th Century Famine ship when it called into New York harbor, during its historic visit to North America.  more>>
   
• Eyewitness Parades Report
  On June 23, 2003,  we hosted a  presentation by Dorothy Bukantz and Sean Cahill, veteran Observers in Northern Ireland and the primary  authors of the extremely impressive and well received report Parading Paramiltarism.   more>>
   
• History of  the Orange Order
  May 19, 2003, historian Christine Kinealy presented an  address covering both the history of the Orange Order and of the Great Hunger of the 19th Century  more>>
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• Short Strand
  April 21, 2003, eyewitness report from the Colombia Three trial and a resident of Belfast's beleaguered Short Strand.  more>>
   
• Northern Ireland Roundtable
  On April 5, 2003,  we hosted a symposium led by Sen. Clinton, Reps. King and Crowley of NY and  and Sen. Dooley of Co. Clare at Nassau C.C.  more>>
   
• Presentation by Martin McGuinness
  On January 27, 2003, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA addressed a gathering  hosted by  the Nassau and Suffolk Brehon Law Societies and Friends of Sinn Féin.   more>>
   

Some tributes to deceased friends