The Ireland Funds

On December 17, celebrate the holiday season with the Boston Young Leaders. Join us for an evening of live music at The Bostonia Public House.?All are welcome. Bring a friend and learn about the positive impact that The Ireland Funds is making in communities both in Boston and across the island of Ireland. Tickets and more information at: https://lnkd.in/gZtxsr4D

Sincere thanks to Abbott for their generous support of our No Mind Left Behind scholarship program, benefiting three students from Kilkenny. These scholarships will help cover essential costs throughout their third-level education, reducing financial barriers and enabling each student to focus on their studies. We're grateful to Abbott for their support of education and the community through these scholarships, which will create a lasting impact that extends beyond the classroom. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eqfmzpv4

One more thank you to all our friends who attended The Ireland Funds 40th Annual Chicago Dinner on November 6. Terrence Brady, Chair of The Ireland Funds Chicago Regional Advisory Committee, presented Steve Cahillane, Chairman, President and CEO of Kellanova with The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award. Mr Cahillane spoke of his pride of his Irish ancestry and how that ancestry shaped him and his career. ‘’I am deeply honored to accept this Ireland Funds award. As a proud New Yorker, naturalized Chicagoan, and a son of Irish heritage, this moment is truly humbling. I accept, not only on my own behalf, but on behalf of my parents and the countless generations who laid the foundation for all of us here tonight.’’ John Gibbons, committee member of The Ireland Funds Chicago Regional Advisory Committee presented Father Thomas Hurley, VP of Advancement and Ministry at Marist High School Chicago, with The Ireland Funds Humanitarian Award. Fr. Tom spoke about his journey and his family. “How grateful I am to be Irish-American. I am even more proud and excited to be affiliated with The Ireland Funds, a great organization transforming lives in Ireland and around the globe.” Dan Quirke, founder of the Dillon Quirke Foundation in Ireland spoke about the mission of his organization to provide free cardiac screening for athletes playing sports in Ireland. Dan’s son Dillon, passed away from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome in 2022 while playing hurling for his local club at the age of 24. The Foundation aims to screen 10,000 young people a year and he thanked The Ireland Funds for its support. Dinner co-chair Devon Bruce thanked those gathered for their enduring support of The Ireland Funds' mission and a special performance for the evening was provided by viral YouTube sensation, the Gardiner Brothers. Special thanks to Kerry and Chicago Cut Steakhouse for their very generous support of the auction at the dinner. Enjoy more photos at?https://lnkd.in/gWJ8WQNM

We're counting down to the much-anticipated Women in Leadership Luncheon in San Francisco on December 6, 2024. This special event will feature an inspiring lineup of trailblazing women, including our honorary speakers: Sarah Friar, Chief Financial Officer at?OpenAI; Amy Roberti, Head of Public Policy for the Americas and Global Tax Policy at?Stripe; and Lorraine Twohill, Chief Marketing Officer at?Google. THANK YOU to our generous sponsors:?AMD,?Stripe, Google, AIB, Dolby Laboratories, Citizens Private Bank, University of Galway, ABM Industries, IDA Ireland, Kennedy Wilson, Invest Northern Ireland,?Tourism Ireland,?WILLIAM FRY LLP,?Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG), and Ranger Pipelines Inc. for supporting this event and the work of The Ireland Funds ensuring access to education, strengthening communities and serving families in need across the island of Ireland. Tables are available at: https://lnkd.in/gwSF7Dh3

The Ireland Funds welcomed over 650 of New England’s top corporate leaders, philanthropists?and friends of Ireland as they gathered at The Westin Copley Place to celebrate The Ireland Funds 43rd Boston Gala. The evening was a gathering in support of charitable, cultural and educational causes across both the island of Ireland and locally in Massachusetts. Ronald O'Hanley, Chairman and CEO of State Street was honored with The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award. Notable guests in attendance included business, civic and philanthropic leaders such as Robert Kraft (Chairman & CEO, The New England Patriots), Dr. Albert Bourla (Chairman & CEO, Pfizer), Edmund F. Murphy III (President & CEO, Empower), Lee Pelton (President & CEO, The Boston Foundation), Anne Finucane (Former Vice Chair, BofA and Chair, BofA Europe and Senior Advisor, TPG Rise Climate) and Jean Hynes (CEO, Wellington Management). Dignitaries in attendance included Governor of Massachusetts Maura Healey, Sighle FitzGerald, Consul General of Ireland to New England, and David Clay MBE, British Consul General to New England. It was a wonderful night of great camaraderie, a strong sense of connection to Ireland, stirring entertainment, and an opportunity to give back to great causes – all hallmarks of the event and of The Ireland Funds. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dbwRbf5n

The Ireland Funds 40th Chicago Dinner on November 6 was a milestone night of celebration.?We welcomed over 500 friends and supporters in the Midwest as we marked 40 years of philanthropy for great causes across the island of Ireland and in the Chicago community.? ? The Ireland Funds honored?Steve Cahillane, Chairman, President & CEO of Kellanova, who received The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award, and Father Thomas Hurley, VP of Advancement and Ministry at Marist High School Chicago with The Ireland Funds Humanitarian Award.??Dan Quirke, founder of the?Dillon Quirke Foundation?spoke about the mission of his organization to provide free cardiac screening for athletes playing sports in Ireland and thanked The Ireland Funds for its support.??Chair of the Dinner and Chairman of The Ireland Funds Chicago Regional Advisory Committee Terrence Brady?with Dinner co-chair?Devon Bruce?of Power Rogers, LLP,?and committee member John Gibbons?of?Greenberg Traurig, LLP, introduced the honorees and presented the Awards. The evening was highlighted by the Gardiner Brothers who danced their way through a high energy routine. For 40 years the event has celebrated the numerous ties between Chicago and Ireland and the event supports a wide range of impactful projects.?Most recently, The Ireland Funds Heart of the Community Fund invested $1 million in 93 small nonprofit groups across 29 Irish counties this past summer. Its beneficiaries include organizations addressing a range of issues such as access to education and STEM, mental health, food poverty, domestic violence and cancer support services among others. Our supporters and friends make this all possible with their incredible generosity. We thank you, Chicago! #TheIrelandFundsisThere #Chicago #ThankYou ?

At Kellanova, we proudly stand on the shoulders of giants who understood that true leadership goes beyond making decisions; it’s about uplifting others, investing in communities, and envisioning a brighter future. Similarly, The Ireland Funds, honors and recognizes the sacrifices and achievements of those who came before us, while paving the way for the next generation. I’m incredibly proud to walk in the footsteps of my predecessors, and as a proud New Yorker, naturalized Chicagoan, and son of Irish heritage, I was deeply honored to accept The Ireland Funds’ Distinguished Leadership award. The moment was truly humbling. #Leadership #CommunityImpact

For decades, The Ireland Funds has worked tirelessly to strengthen communities, promote education, foster peace, and preserve the cultural heritage of Ireland and the Irish diaspora. Through their support of transformative organizations, they continue to bridge divides, create opportunities, and inspire hope. ? It was with great pride this year’s Distinguished Leadership Award was presented to our Chairman and CEO Ronald O'Hanley, whose words and actions reinforce a shared commitment to these enduring values. His dedication to supporting impactful causes reflects the Ireland Funds’ mission to unite people in advancing shared goals of resilience, equity, and community empowerment. ? A sincere thank you to the Ireland Funds for their unwavering dedication to building a brighter, more prosperous future. The work they lead not only shapes lives today but builds a stronger foundation for generations to come.

Tonight, on the 40th anniversary of The Ireland Funds Chicago Dinner, we are looking forward to gathering with friends at the Four Seasons Hotel in support of The Ireland Funds' mission.?This milestone event will feature the presentation of The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award to Steve Cahillane, Chairman, President & CEO of Kellanova; and The Ireland Funds Humanitarian Award to Fr. Tom Hurley, VP of Advancement and Ministry at Marist High School, and Pastor Emeritus at Old Patrick’s Church. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWJ8WQNM

We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of The Ireland Funds 43rd Boston Gala on November 4. The evening was chaired by Jim Rooney, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and made possible by the dedication of our supporters, sponsors, honoree, and Gala committee members. We salute Ronald O'Hanley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of State Street who was introduced by Jean Hynes, CEO of Wellington Management and recognized for his business and civic contributions with The Ireland Funds Distinguished Leadership Award. Highlights of the evening included a reflection by Anne Finucane, Former Vice Chair, BofA and Chair, BofA Europe Senior Advisor, TPG Rise Climate on the great Boston businessman and philanthropist Jack Connors, and an address by our honored guest The Hon. Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters,?the event raised $1.8 million and will provide essential support to nonprofit organizations working in communities across the island of Ireland and locally in the Boston area. Local beneficiaries of this year's Boston Gala include Camp Harbor View, Irish Pastoral Centre - Boston , Rian Immigrant Center, and the?Boys and?Girls?Club of Dorchester. In Ireland, the event supports a wide range of impactful projects.?Most recently, The Ireland Funds Heart of the Community Fund invested $1 million in 93 small nonprofit groups across 29 Irish counties this past summer. Its beneficiaries include organizations addressing a range of issues such as access to education and STEM, mental health, food poverty, domestic violence and cancer support services among others. We are proud to celebrate the connections between Boston and the island of Ireland and thank all of our supporters and friends for their incredible generosity. #thankyou?#theirelandfundsisthere?#boston