Nigel McKenna : Chairman of The Ireland Fund of New Zealand

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We asked Nigel McKenna to share a bit more about The Ireland Fund of New Zealand and his involvement.

Biography
Nigel was brought up in Co. Longford and his father ran a small building firm employing half a dozen tradesmen. He hankered to follow in his father’s footsteps, so obtained a degree in construction economics from Dublin’s Trinity College and became a quantity surveyor. Nigel moved to New Zealand in the mid-1980s and initially lived in Wellington.

Nigel is the founder, sole shareholder and Managing Director of the Melview Group of Companies. Melview is the largest private property development company in New Zealand. Projects with a value in excess of $3.0 Billion are currently being undertaken. Melview undertakes retail, residential and resort developments and more recently golf courses, marinas and vineyards.
Nigel also owns Galway Tourism Investments, the largest Hotel owner/operator in New Zealand. He currently resides in Auckland and has two children.

Q & A
Nigel, how did you come to learn of The Ireland Funds?
I learned of The Ireland Funds from Rodney Walshe, the Honorary Consul-General of Ireland in New Zealand, who explained about the Funds and I was invited to become a Trustee

Why did you decide to take the helm at The Ireland Fund of New Zealand?
The previous Chairman, John Maasland, resigned for business reasons and it was the unanimous decision of the other Trustees that I take over the role of Chairman. I was aware of the good work done by The Ireland Funds in New Zealand, and worldwide, and I agreed to accept the role of Chairman as I felt I could actively contribute to the future success of The Ireland Fund of New Zealand

You recently hosted the unique event the “Lunch of Significance", can you share more about that event and how it came about?
The Trustees made me aware of serious depreciation of the Scott and Shackleton huts in Antarctica which are situated within the New Zealand zone and it presented an opportunity for The Ireland Fund of New Zealand to raise the awareness of the participation of the Irish in the exploration of Antarctica. Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean, two outstanding Irishmen, together with New Zealander, Frank Worsley, were the three who completed the heroic crossing of South Georgia, trekking sixty-four kilometers in thirty-six hours over savage terrain of snow capped mountains, laced with glaciers and whipped with freezing winds, to miraculously arrive at the Whaling Station to raise the alarm and successfully rescue their colleagues who were stranded on Elephant Island.

It was decided by the Trustees to organize a fundraising lunch, not only to raise awareness of the New Zealand – Ireland connection within New Zealand itself, but also to raise awareness in Ireland. As a result of the lunch $30,000 was raised and during the lunch President McAleese announced that the Government of Ireland would contribute $100,000.

What’s ahead for The Ireland Fund of New Zealand?
We will continue our support of the cross-cultural exchanges in rugby, such as the player exchange between Letterkenny and Auckland, and in the arts, such as sponsoring visits to New Zealand by Paul Muldoon and Green Fire Islands and also to stage at least one major event annually, such as our Galfcuig competition which in the past has raised funds for the New Zealand team to participate in the Special Olympics in Dublin. We will continue to raise funds to enhance other links between New Zealand and Ireland.

For further details:

T - 64-9-977 2251
F - 64-9-977 2256
E - newzealand@irlfunds.org