Ciaran Staunton, who emigrated from Westport, County Mayo in 1982, is renowned for his support of Irish Republican causes.

Whether organizing protests outside the British Consulate or holding fundraisers to support the families of those affected by the Troubles, his voice has long been vocal on the need for justice in Northern Ireland. At the onset of the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement, he played a major part in the American role and worked closely with the Sinn Fein leadership and Irish American leaders to bring about the Adams visa and the IRA ceasefire.

Ciaran, who owns O'Neill's Bar and Restaurant, one of the most popular Irish spots in Manhattan, is the Vice Chairman of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) and has been described as "one of the most dynamic personalities involved in ILIR" and as "the man that won't take no for an answer." He also helped co-found the Irish Immigration Reform Movement in the late 1980s, which lobbied successfully for the Donnelly and Morrison visa programs.

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