▁politics ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁was ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁County ▁S lig o ▁Anti - H - Block ▁Committee ▁which ▁campaign ed ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁republic an ▁prisoners ▁hung er ▁strik es ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 0 / 8 1 . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁Ar d ▁Com h air le ▁( National ▁Executive ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁remained ▁there ▁for ▁over ▁twenty ▁years . ▁Mac Man us ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁National ▁Chair person ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁After ▁the ▁I RA ▁ce ase fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Mac Man us ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁in ▁over ▁sevent y ▁years . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁prot ract ed ▁negoti ations ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁Good ▁Friday ▁Ag re ement . ▁ ▁First ▁elected ▁to ▁S lig o ▁Corporation ▁( now ▁S lig o ▁Bor ough ▁Council ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁he ▁has ▁remained ▁until ▁it ' s ▁abol ition ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁elected ▁to ▁S lig o ▁County ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4