He held executive positions in several New York-based Irish-American cultural and political organizations, many of which were focused on mobilizing materiel support to the fight for an independent Irish republic.

Led by John Devoy, Clan-na-Gael orchestrated a wide range of schemes and programs designed to aid the Irish republican cause from across the ocean.

Nevertheless, he quickly developed a close rapport with Devoy—according to a press account; “he never failed in any task assigned to him by Mr. Devoy, regardless of the personal risk or the intelligence required to complete it successfully”.

[6] Established in 1916 in the months prior to the Easter Rising, the FOIF was a large-scale, overt advocacy group designed to propagandize on behalf of Irish independence, and marshal the resources of the sizeable Irish-American population for the fight against British rule in Ireland.

In 1919, when Irish provisional government Finance Minister Michael Collins developed the “Dáil bonds” program to raise money for the administration, FOIF mobilized over $5 million in American investment.

Cunningham, speaking in part on behalf of the FOIF, offered the following statement to the New York Tribune: The real friends of Ireland deplore the irreparable loss she has suffered in the slaying of Michael Collins, the fearless, courageous leader of the Irish people.

Upon learning the news, Holland’s son Joseph stated he would have purchased it himself, if only to give the vessel a proper burial at sea than to face demolition.

[16] Suddenly, other buyers were interested, among them the American Irish Historical Society, the Board of Directors of Celtic Park (Queens Co. NY), the Smithsonian Institution, and industrialist Henry Ford, who operated his own museum of industrial innovations and artifacts.

[19] As executor of his estate, Cunningham prepared for a second trip to Ireland, this time to escort Devoy’s mortal remains to Dublin for burial.

His requiem Mass, con-celebrated by 5 priests and 2 deacons, was held at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, in the Lenox Hill section of Manhattan.

[30] In 1916, at the height of the World War I German submarine scare, Teresa embarked with infant Catherine for a visit to Ireland that would last 18 months, during which time she gave birth to John.

Whether she was carrying out an assignment on behalf of her husband, recovering from giving birth to John, or simply unable to secure timely safe passage back to America due to the wartime emergency, has not been determined.