John Fitzpatrick Gives Back
Honoring Thy Father and Mother

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John Fitzpatrick is chairman and CEO of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, North America, which operates three hotels in New York City. John, an Irish native and American Ireland Fund Board Director, joined the Hotel Group founded by his father, the legendary hotelier Paddy Fitzpatrick. John relocated to the United States 17 years ago, with a mission to bring Fitzpatrick Hotels to New York City. His mission was a resounding success, and Fitzpatrick Hotels became the first Irish owned hotel company to operate in the United States. Since then, John has continued to drive the phenomenal growth of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group.

As a businessman with interests on both sides of the Atlantic, how would you describe the state of Irish-American relations?

Overall, the state of Irish-American relations is excellent. Both societies have a real appreciation of each other. Many Americans enjoy an Irish heritage, and do so with great relish. A great many Irish have relations living in the U.S. The bond is strong, and as such seems to help maintain an open dialogue between the two peoples.

Ireland has changed greatly over the last 10-15 years. Do you see need in Ireland as having reduced or being as demanding as previously?

Ireland has indeed changed much over the past ten years. While many needs have been filled, new needs and problems are created as a result.

You have now contributed $1 million to The American Ireland Fund to support work in Ireland, in particular the Corrymeela Community and Barretstown. Tell us of your motivation?

My parents were a tremendous influence on me, and they taught me so much about what is really important in life. I wanted to do something to make sure that they would always be remembered. The foundation we started in their name honors them by raising money for these two great charities, as well as others. The work they do supports two things that are important to me and I know were important to my parents—peace and helping children.

Corrymeela is dedicated to fostering dialogue between both sides in the North and Barretstown provides comfort and fun for children with serious health issues. I can’t think of anything more motivating than helping out organizations with such noble missions. It does need to be said that the $1 million was actually donated by many great people who support our foundation.

What projects or outcomes, funded by you, have given you the most satisfaction?

At Corrymeela, we contributed towards the construction of the main house. It is very satisfying to know that positive relationships are continuously being fostered under the roof we helped build. At Barretstown, we built the Outdoor Theatre, where sick children can go and enjoy various types of productions that help get their minds off their troubles. In addition, we purchased a motorcoach for their transport. We also constructed a cottage, which houses visiting children, and we sponsor the visits of eight children per year to Barretstown, who stay in our cottage.

You recently decided to support PeacePlayers International. Again, please describe why?

It is a grass roots organization dedicated to promoting reconciliation between people in Northern Ireland and elsewhere around the world. In their case, they focus on children using basketball on a regular basis as the medium to establish dialogue between children of different backgrounds.

When children are taught to focus on the things that they have in common with other people, it makes it easier to overcome their differences. When those children are adults, they will have greater influence on the world around them. Hopefully, they will do so with tolerance. PeacePlayers is doing its part to make that happen. Brendan Tuohey and their other leaders are so committed to their mission, and I was inspired by them.

Engendering reconciliation between the two communities in Northern Ireland is a key priority for you. How urgent is this work?

It is critical to work on this with great urgency. Aside from the fact that peace is always better sooner versus later, it is easier to capture donations for charitable organizations that foster peace when the economy is strong. There is more money out there and we need to get it to those organizations while that is the case.

What prospects do you see for the growth of philanthropy in Ireland? Are the wealthy Irish giving?

They are. The Irish are a generous people by nature. I would love to see Irish tax laws evolve so that they encourage more charitable giving as U.S. tax laws do.

Your golf tournament is one of the great social events in the Irish-American calendar. Describe the support and help you get from so many sources.

So many people and organizations help and support the tournament every year, giving generously of their money, goods, services and time. Organizations like Bank of Scotland, Diageo, Anheuser Busch, StructureTone, Global Excess Partners, Aer Lingus, the local semi-state organizations, and AXA Financial have been supporters for a long time, and Mutual of America has really stood out as a staunch supporter of ours from the beginning. Both the Smurfit and O’Reilly families have been wonderful in their generosity over the years, as have the Foran and the Breslin families here in New York.

Finally, John, with so many Irish visiting New York do you ever get homesick?—Most of them stay with you after all!

I love the United States, and I love New York City but Ireland will always be the place I call home and I do often miss it. I am fortunate to be able to get home pretty frequently, though, and having so many of my countrymen—many of whom I do know personally—stay at my hotels is certainly a comfort.