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The 32nd Annual New York Dinner Gala sets new records. It was the biggest and most successful in the organization’s three decade history.  It raised an all time record of $4.15million and attracted the biggest attendance at any American Ireland Fund dinner, 1500.

Guests could be accommodated because the dinner moved to its splendid new home of The Park Avenue Armory, which was transformed into an Irish Garden by the Fund’s partners Tourism Ireland and Cole Creates.

The Fund’s Humanitarian Award was presented to H.E. Mary McAleese, President of Ireland.  She congratulated the Fund on having supported over 1200 projects across the island of Ireland.  She said that, while tremendous change had occurred in Ireland, ongoing American support was essential to resolving outstanding and new problems in Ireland, particularly, achieving reconciliation between the two communities on the ground in Northern Ireland. 

The Fund’s Leadership Award was presented to the CEO of AIG, Mr. Martin Sullivan.  Martin reflected on how he started his career in Ireland and his ongoing affection for and involvement with the country. 

A $1 million donation from the AIF and AIG was awarded to Barretstown, the Irish branch of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which provides care and hope for children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. The gift, which was accepted by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, will establish the “Barretstown and Beyond” program. This will extend Barretstowns services across Ireland and Europe and double the number of children reached by Barretstown by 2010.

A significant award was made also to Rowallane Integrated College, in Northern Ireland, which will enable the construction of a new integrated high school where Protestants and Catholic children will be educated together.  This is the second integrated school to built by the Fund.

The guests were entertained by a special choreographed piece from the Pirate Queen and by the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, which is a unique troupe comprised of young musicians from North and South of the border and from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds.  Revelers closed the night by dancing to the sounds of Celtic Cross.

The Dinner boasted a stellar line-up of Honorees. Mr. Bob McCann, Vice Chairman, President, Global Private Client Group, Merrill Lynch & CO., Inc. was the Dinner’s Honorary Chairman. Dinner Committee Co-Chairs included Mr. Joseph S. Berry, Jr., Managing Director, KBW Inc.; Mr. Michael R. George, Director Deutsche Bank; Mr. Bart A. Grenier, Managing Director, Global Head of Specialty Fixed Income, Deutsche Asset Management; Mr. Michael P. Higgins, Managing Director, Head of Real Estate Finance Group, CIBC World Markets; Declan Kelly, President & CEO, FD; and Mr. Ciaran T. O’Kelly, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Equities Bank of America. Celebrity guests also included actor and Founder of one of tonight’s initiatives, Barretstown, Paul Newman.

Barretstown
Barretstown is the only member of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp located outside the United States. Situated in the rolling Hills of Co. Kildare it is a place of refuge, hope and therapy for children with life-threatening illnesses. It truly tansfors the lives of the children and their families and restores their sense of childhood. Tonight together with Irish and US donors and AIG, The American Ireland Fund will fund the “Barretstown, AIG and Beyond Beyond Borders” program, which will expand Barretstown’s services throughout Ireland and across Europe, increasing the number of children receiving support by 60%. To help support the cause, Mr. Paul Newman attended last night’s dinner.  Barretstown >

Integrated Education
Last year, through the New York Dinner we took a major step forward by building our first integrated school at Oakwood in Belfast.

This year, through your help, we will build a second American Ireland Fund Integrated School at Rowallane in Belfast. By creating these “pipelines of hope,” you are helping to build a new future for a new generation in Northern Ireland.   More >

Humanitarian Award
H.E. Mary McAleese

On November 11th, 1997, Mary McAleese was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland. She is a barrister and former Professor of Law. Born on June 27th 1951 in Belfast, she is the first President to come from Northern Ireland. She is married, to Dr. Martin McAleese, an accountant and dentist. They have three children, Emma, born 1982 and twins Justin and SaraMai, born 1985.

The eldest of nine children, President McAleese grew up in Northern Ireland through the violent times that have come to be known as 'The Troubles'. Her family was one of many adversely affected by the conflict. She graduated in Law from the Queen's University of Belfast in 1973 and was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1974. In 1975, she was appointed Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin and in 1987, she returned to her Alma Mater, Queen's, to become Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. In 1994, she became the first female Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Queen's University of Belfast.

President McAleese is an experienced broadcaster, having worked as a current affairs journalist and presenter in radio and television with RTE, Ireland’s national broadcast. She has a longstanding interest in many issues concerned with justice, equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism and reconciliation. The theme of her Presidency is 'Building Bridges'

The Fund is delighted to recognize publicly President McAleese’s work in reaching out to both sides of the community in Northern Ireland to promote reconciliation and mutual tolerance.

Leslie C. Quick Jr. Award
Mr. Martin Sullivan

Martin J. Sullivan is President and Chief Executive Officer of American International Group, Inc. (AIG), the world’s leading global insurance and financial services organization operating in 130 countries and jurisdictions worldwide.

Mr. Sullivan served as Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Operating Officer from May 2002 until March 2005, when he was elected to his current position. He also serves on the AIG Board of Directors.

Mr. Sullivan joined the company in the Finance Department of American International Underwriters(AIU), AIG’s non-life company in the UK, in 1971. In 1974, he joined the Property Department and held a succession of underwriting and management assignments in the UK and Ireland. In 1983,Mr. Sullivan was appointed Property Manager for the UK and later Regional Property Manager for the UK/Ireland.

In 1988, Mr. Sullivan was named Manager of AIU’s London office and Regional Marketing Manager for the UK/Ireland. He was later appointed Assistant Managing Director of AIG Europe (UK) Ltd. In 1989 and Chief Operating Officer in 1991. In 1993, he was named President of AIU’s UK/Ireland Division and Managing Director of AIG Europe (UK) Ltd.

Mr. Sullivan was elected Senior Vice President, Foreign General Insurance in 1996 and Executive Vice President, Foreign General in 1998. In 1996, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of AIU in New York and named President in 1997.

Mr. Sullivan is Chairman of the US-ASEAN Business Council, an Associate Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute. He is a Director of the Geneva Association and also serves on the Business Advisory Committees of the St. George’s Society and The British Memorial Garden Trust, and the Board of Trustees of the American Associates of the Royal Academy Trust. He is a Director of Young Audiences Inc. and the Inner City Scholarship Fund. He was also formerly president of British American Business Inc.

In the early stages of his career, Mr. Sullivan lived in Ireland and has retained very close links with the country ever since. He regularly promotes Ireland in the US, and is a Founding Member of the Irish Chamber of Commerce in the USA–ICCUSA. It is these links and his service to Ireland that we honor at the dinner.

Many thanks to all our supporters.

The American Ireland Fund in New York
P - 212.689.3100
E - newyork@irlfunds.org