The 31st New York Dinner is Kicked Off : 1.23.2006

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Tonight, January 23 rd, 2006, in the resplendent surroundings of the Metropolitan Club, the 31 st Annual New York Dinner was kicked off in the presence of over 100 guests and supporters. The Dinner will take place on May 4 th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Honorary Chairman Mr. Kip Condron and the Spokesman on behalf of his fellow Dinner Co-Chairs, Brian Hull, announced that the recipient of this year’s Leslie C. Quick Jr. Award is Mr. Bob McCann. Bob, President, Global Private Client Group, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. is a Board Member of the American Ireland Fund and is being recognized for his exceptional integrity and achievement in business and philanthropic generosity.

It was announced that, alongside the Funds’ normal grant making activities, this dinner would support two very special projects in Northern Ireland, Integrated Education and Sesame Street. The first will fund the development of five integrated preschools and the second will provide for the production 26 Sesame Street programs promoting peace, tolerance and understanding.

This New York Dinner, therefore, the first since the IRA’s decision to disarm, will reach out to the next generation in Northern Ireland to help rescue them from the prejudice of their predecessors. It has been titled the “Educating and Integrating” Dinner.

Guests at the Kick Off included President of the Ireland Fund of Monaco Michael Fitzgerald, Irish authors Frank McCourt and Colum McCann, Irish actor and wit Malachy McCourt, Irish Voice Proprietor Niall O’Dowd and Irish Voice Editor Patricia Harty. The Dinner is being driven by a very energetic committee including:

Honorary Co-Chair

• Mr. Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, President & CEO, AXA Financial, Inc.

Dinner Co-Chairs

• John Duffy, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.
• Mr. Brian P. Hull , Senior Vice President, Merrill Lynch & Co.
• Regina Feeney, Managing Director, Glodman Sachs & Co.
• Catherine Kinney, President & Co-COO, New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
• Mr. Thomas P. O'Neill, President, Financial Institution Division, AEGON USA, Inc
• Mr. Anthony Scaramucci , Managing Principal, Skybridge Capital Group,

Dinner Committee Members

• Mr. Joseph S. Berry Jr., Vice President, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.
• Mr. William Booker , Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch & Co.
• Ms. Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Chairman, The American Ireland Fund
• Anthony P. Callaghan Esq. , Director, Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione
• Mr. Robert L. Cunningham , Managing Director, Merrill Lynch & Co.
• John P. Curran Ph.D., President, Curran Capital Management
• Patrick E. Curtin CFA , Executive Vice President, Bank of New York
• Mr. Michael Donovan , Officer, President, Highlander Asset Management
• Mr. Kevin M. Fee , Managing Director, Bear Wagner Specialist.
• Mr. John Fitzpatrick, CEO - North America, Fitzpatrick Hotel Group NA
• William P. Frank Esq. , Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
• Mr. Lex N. Gamble
• Mr. Michael R. George, Director, Deutsche Bank
• Mr. Bart Grenier, Managing Director, Deutsche Asset Management
• Mr. Michael P. Higgins , Managing Director, Real Estate Finance, CIBC World Markets
• Mr. James F. Higgins, Senior Advisor, Morgan Stanley
• Mr. Thomas M. Joyce, Chairman & CEO, Knight Capital Group, Inc.
• Mr. Declan Kelly , President & CEO, Financial Dynamics
• Mr. Robert P. Lyons , Senior Managing Director, COO of Equities, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.
• Mr. James P. MacGilvray, President, Fidelity Capital Markets
• Mr. Joseph J. McAlinden , Chief Investment Officer, Morgan Stanley
• Mr. Brendan McDonagh , Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Bank USA
• Mr. Kevin J. McKenna, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers
• Mr. Edward T. McMahon , Senior Vice President, New York Stock Exchange
• Mr. Angus Miller CFM, Vice President, Merrill Lynch
• Mr. James F. Mullery Jr. , Chief Sales Officer, AXA Equitable
• Mr. John V. Murphy, Chairman, President & CEO, OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
• Mr. Kevin E. Murray , Executive Vice President & CIO, AXA Financial
• Mr. Kevin M. Murray CFM, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
• Mr. Francis X. O'Connor, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
• Mr. John J. O'Connor , Vice Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
• Mr. John F.M. O'Donoghue , Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Equities
• NY & Americas International Equity Sales Trading, SG Cowen & Co
• Mr. Ciaran T. O'Kelly , Managing Director -Global Head of Equity Trading, Banc of America Securities
• Ms. Sheila O'Malley, President, Rockfleet Media
• Mr. Thomas F. O'Neill, Principal, Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P.
• Mr. Philip J. Purcell, Continental Advisors
• Mr. Thomas C. Quick
• Mr. Christopher C. Quick, CEO, Banc of America Specialists Inc.
• Mr. Brian A. Ruane , Executive Vice President, The Bank of New York
• Mr. Thomas Ryan, Managing Director, ING, LLC
• Mr. Thomas F. Troy, Executive Vice President, Bear Wagner Specialist, LLC
• Mr. Aidan St. P. Walsh OBE , Partner in Charge, International, KPMG LLP