Gradually, relatives and loyalists of Cahill joined the board, and one of the doctor’s sons, Christopher, became the highly paid executive director.
When dr. Cahill decided to step down ten years ago, a series of prominent Irish Americans succeeded him, only to discover what they later described as an underperforming organization that did little more than hold an annual gala and employ a Cahill scion. . Once they voiced their concerns, they said, they were pushed out.
In 2019, Brian McCabe, the association’s president and a former New York City homicide detective, and James Normile, its president, pushed for an immediate reorganization. This includes mandatory counseling and a reduced role for Christopher Cahill, who had recently threatened a well-known Irish director at an event at the mansion.
Instead, Mr. Normile and Mr. McCabe joined the growing list of reformist officials who were ousted by the Cahill-controlled council. Only this time they fought back.
Mr McCabe alerted the Attorney General’s office to what he said were financial irregularities, as well as his concerns about the integrity of the association’s collection, which contains extensive documentation on the role of Irish Americans in Ireland’s struggle for independence from England.
In March 2021, Mr. McCabe and the association’s recently fired Marketing Coordinator, Sophie Colgan, started an online petition against the sale of the association’s mansion. More than 40,000 people registered.
The Attorney General’s office, which is responsible for reviewing charitable property sales, took note and began investigating the organization’s activities.