Thousands of Irish owe him their American lives.
Brian Donnelly, as a congressman from Massachusetts, shepherded the visa scheme bearing his name that delivered 26,000 visas to the Irish at a time when Ireland could not provide many of its young with jobs.
Donnelly died Thursday, his 77th birthday.
Former congressman Bruce Morrison was today paying tribute to his colleague, fellow Democrat and longtime ally in the effort to secure legal lives for the Irish in the United States.
"I am very sorry to hear this and my condolences to Brian's family," Morrison told the Echo.
"Brian was a great member of Congress, an advocate for the Irish, and he led the way on visas for the Irish. He was a pioneer on a critical question for the Irish in the 1980s. I was pleased to work with him on his visas, and I had his support when I was working on my visa program."
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said in a statement: “I was proud to work with Representative Brian Donnelly to support the visas that bore his name, which brought so many Irish into America. And I was even prouder to take up the Irish-visa baton from him – and then-Representative Bruce Morrison – and have those visas bear my name. He was a proud son of Dorchester and dedicated public servant who delivered so much for his constituents and all of Irish America.”
Congressman Richard Neal said in a statement: “I am saddened to learn of the passing of Brian Donnelly, a steadfast public servant and son of Massachusetts. From his days in the Boston Public Schools to the State Legislature to the hearing room of the Ways and Means Committee, Brian lived the American Dream. I will forever be grateful for him bestowing me with the honor of a lifetime in representing Massachusetts on the Ways and Means Committee
“Growing up in a working-class Irish-American household, Brian never forgot his ancestral roots in Galway and used his time in Congress to advocate for Irish nationals both in Ireland and in the United States. He helped thousands of Irish immigrants secure visas through the “Donnelly Visa” program, giving countless families the opportunity to live out the same American Dream he knew so well. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Donnelly family during this difficult time.”
The Donnelly and Morrison visa programs would ultimately open America's door to more than 70,000 Irish nationals and the Donnelly program would evolve into the Schumer Diversity visas.
Brian Donnelly was a member of Congress representing the Massachusetts 11th District from 1979 to 1993. After his career in Congress he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago by President Bill Clinton.
During his effort in Congress to secure Irish visas Donnelly became involved in a moment of political theater that hardly seems possible today.
The Donnelly Visa program was actually an amendment to a far larger immigration bill and there was opposition to its inclusion in that bill, the 1986 Simpson/Rodino/Mazzoli bill.
Donnelly and his allies supported the bill but voted against it on the House floor because Donnelly's amendment was being excluded from it. This caused consternation and brought House Speaker Tip O'Neill into the fray.
O'Neill wanted to know how he could get the support of Donnelly and his allies in a second vote.
"Include my amendment," said Donnelly.
Donnelly would later recall what happened after that as pure O'Neill.
"He said to me, 'everyone thinks I am now dressing you down Brian.' He winked at me and said, 'I'm going to stare at you and look very stern. But don't worry, we'll look after the Irish.'"
The bill, with Donnelly's amendment included, passed the House of Representatives the next day with the support of the Dorchester man and his allies.
And so the Donnelly Visas came into the world.
