Farewell to a Friend : Bridget Hartigan

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of our colleague and regional director for Chicago, Bridget Hartigan who lost her long and heroic battle with cancer in 2006.

To say Bridget was the life and soul of the party is truly an understatement. She was an outstanding representative of The American Ireland Fund in Chicago, a talented and fun colleague and superb company. Everybody felt better after spending time in her presence. In short, she was a class act and a thorough professional in her work. She loved her visits to Ireland for our annual Conferences, none more so than for the opening of the Special Olympics World Games in Dublin in 2003. She was so proud of the Chicago connection to these Games.

Throughout her long illness she kept in constant touch with us all and we were in awe of her inner strength and fortitude and the great support of her husband Tom, her father Neil and her very close family. She was a terrific member of our team and we all miss her very much.
— Kingsley Aikins, President and CEO, The Worldwide Ireland Funds