L-R Senator Edward Kennedy, Ciaran Staunton, Kelly Fincham and Bart Murphy

Chairman Bart Murphy
Bart received his undergraduate degree from University College Dublin and his law degree from the Honorable Society of Kings Inns, Dublin. He practiced as a barrister in Dublin for three years before returning to California in 1986 where he practiced commercial and real estate law until 1998. He is a real estate investor in San Francisco. He is a director and past president of the Coalition for Better Housing and since 1997, has also served as a Commissioner of the San Francisco Rent Control Board.

Bart serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center, San Francisco and is a past president of the Coalition of Irish Immigrant Centers. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Ireland Fund.

Co-founder and Vice-Chairman Ciaran Staunton
Ciaran is a native of Westport County Mayo and co-founder of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. He is the owner of O'Neill's Bar and Restaurant, one of the most popular hostelries in Manhattan. Ciaran was a co-founder of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement in the late 1980s which lobbied successfully for the Donnelly and Morrison visa schemes.
He played a major part in the American role in the peace process and worked closely with the Sinn Fein leadership and Irish American leaders to bring about the Adams visa and the IRA ceasefire. He lives in Queens with his wife Orlaith and son Rory and daughter Kathleen.

Executive Director Kelly Fincham
Kelly is a journalist from Drogheda in Co Louth, Ireland, and a current resident of New York's Woodlawn. In March 2007, she was honored by NYC Speaker Christine Quinn for her work on behalf of the Irish undocumented and gave an address in the chambers in City Hall. In April 2006, she was honored by the New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson for her "dedicated service and invaluable assistance to the Irish immigrant community". Prior to joining the ILIR, Kelly was the US representative for the Irish charity GOAL where she spearheaded the organizations's online outreach, marketing and fundraising. Before joining GOAL, Kelly worked in senior editorial posts with the Irish Voice in New York, Irish Independent in Dublin, and Australian Financial Review and Daily Telegraph in Sydney.

Co-Founder and Board Member: Niall O'Dowd
Niall is the founder of IrishCentral.com Irish America Magazine and Irish Voice newspaper in New York. The Irish Voice played a key role in the setting up of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement in 1987. That movement, composed mainly of young Irish undocumented themselves, was hugely responsible for the subsequent Donnelly and Morrison visa programs. He initiated the Irish American Peace Delegation in 1992 that played a key role in bringing about the 1994 IRA ceasefire and involving President Clinton in the Irish peace process. His recent book, "Fire in the Morning" an account of the Irish at the World Trade Center on September 11 2001, was a best-seller in Ireland.