4 March 2004 – Fairwater Reception

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On 4 March 2004, Ambassador Declan Kelly and Mrs Anne Kelly hosted an Australian Ireland Fund reception at the beautiful home of Lady Mary Fairfax AM, OBE.

The function took place on the terrace which allowed guests to take in the spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the Bridge on the balmy autumn evening.

The event was an opportunity to thank Lady Fairfax for her very generous donation of $1million in November of last year which will be used to establish the Sir Warwick Fairfax Trust for Integrated Education in Ireland. The Australian Ireland Fund is currently working closely with Lady Fairfax, the Ireland Fund Dublin office and the Integrated Education Fund in Northern Ireland to assess how best these funds can be disbursed.

Lady Fairfax was presented with a Governor Suite Waterford Crystal Peace Bowl in acknowledgement of her continuous support of the work of the Fund.

The Function was extremely well attended with almost 90 guests turning up for an evening of drinks and banter. The guests consisted of Fund Directors, Governors, Benefactors and Supporters. Other guests included Fund Chairman and Governor Charles Curran AO, Director and Governor Cameron O’Reilly, Director and Governor Peter Cosgrove, Director Jane Cosgrove, The Hon John Fahey AC, Kathryn Greiner AO, Governors Bill and Imelda Roche, Governor Briege Tuite, Governor Mary Lee, Governor Pierce Cody, Governors Peter and Toni Ryan, Governor David Clarke AO, Governors Craig and Julie McIntosh.

We thank Mrs Dympna Matthews who became a Governor on the night. Mrs Matthews’ Irish father instilled in her a love of Ireland but at the same time he was saddened by the problems that beset Ireland and which caused such animosity between the Catholics and the Protestants. Mrs Matthews commended the Australian Ireland Fund on the work it is doing in this regard and we thank her for her generosity.

Mrs Deirdre O’Dowd Page became a Benefactor on the night and we thank her for her wonderful support.