We will use the proceeds of the event to support both Ireland’s and our greatest
resource, its young people, by making gifts to two very special projects:

INTEGRATED EDUCATION
Chief among the many areas on which The American Ireland Fund focuses its work on the island of Ireland are the aims of peace and reconciliation between the two main religions in Northern Ireland. Peace has been achieved in Northern Ireland but the two communities have yet to be reconciled. With less than 6% of Catholic and Protestant children being educated together, there is the danger that the prejudices of the past will be inherited by the next generation. We have a rare opportunity to make a concrete contribution to the betterment of society in this troubled area of the world by supporting major educational initiatives bringing young people together to build a new Northern Ireland based on acceptance and mutual respect.

ST. MALACHY’S CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Located in North Philadelphia, St. Malachy’s is a preeminent symbol of ecumenism and outreach to poor and disadvantaged youth and their families. Founded by Irish famine immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century, the parish was called “the little church in the woods.” The neighborhood and the parish have undergone many changes as today’s student population is predominantly African-American and non-Catholic. Led by the tireless efforts of Father John McNamee and his dedicated staff, its mission is to educate and enrich the lives of its students and all members of the community through academic excellence and spiritual growth, developing the strong moral character needed to make hard choices and a sense of responsibility for self and others. The mission of the school’s namesake, St. Malachy, has its roots in his native Armagh, Northern Ireland where he proclaimed the values of the gospel— peace, justice and the primacy of God—to a world disrupted by militarism and violence.