John F. O'Sullivan

The board of directors and staff of The American Ireland Fund were deeply saddened by the recent sudden passing of John F. O'Sullivan, a past president and longtime director of the Fund. an active member of the Chairman’s Committee, John was one of the leaders who presided over the early and extraordinary expansion of the Fund’s activities throughout the United States.

Born in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn in 1938, John’s parents, Francis and Marie (Buttimer) O'Sullivan were natives of Co Cork who had emigrated to America. His early education took place in the Parochial School of St Michael's Church in Brooklyn where he learned values of faith, personal commitment and charity which informed his behavior throughout his life.

During his student years in St Francis College, John continued to serve his community through a wide variety of voluntary activities. John also became an enthusiastic supporter of John F Kennedy's bid for the presidency and joined his campaign staff, where he acted as ‘advance man’ for Kennedy's triumphant campaign trip to Brooklyn in 1960. After service in the United States Army, he joined the insurance brokerage firm of Marsh and McLennan (later Marsh Inc.), where he ultimately rose to the position of managing director. He developed an international reputation as a specialist in the field of product liability and provided expert testimony to the New York State Assembly and the United States Senate.

John had a life-long and unusually well-informed interest in the land of his fathers. In common with many Irish-Americans, he was moved by the devastation which was caused by the civil strife in Northern Ireland and resolved to do something practical about it. He was impressed by the emphasis which The Ireland Funds, newly founded by [Sir] Tony O'Reilly, placed on reconciliation and development. John ultimately became President and vice-chairman of The America Ireland Fund, and was, for many years, the chair of the New York Dinner, the centerpiece of the Fund's activities.

As President, John presided over an extraordinary expansion in the breadth and depth of Fund activities in the US. New branches were founded throughout the States and new causes added to the roster of beneficiaries in Ireland. Through his work with the Fund, John became a frequent visitor to these shores, and had the opportunity to assess the practical impact of Fund activities first hand. He was particularly moved by the extraordinary zeal for reconciliation which he encountered in survivors of the Omagh bombing. His trip to the Special Olympics was another high-point. John was involved in many other Irish activities.

He was a key member of the North American Board of the Smurfit School of Business of UCD. His experience, advice and counsel were invaluable to the school as it sought to internationalize during the 1990’s. John’s leadership was vital to the School's initiatives in e-Commerce and e-Learning. John also took an active interest in the New York Alumni Chapter where he was regularly sought out for his warmth, good company and wise advice.

He was a Director of the Ireland-United States Council for Commerce and Industry. John took special pride in his role in the development of cancer treatment and research activities in St. Vincent's Hospital Dublin, where his joint efforts with Loretta Brennan-Glucksman (Chairman of the Fund) resulted in the construction of a modern treatment facility. John remained active in church activities throughout his life, and was a member of the American Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. In the three months following the September 11 outrage, in which Marsh and McLennan suffered 295 fatalities, John spent many days and nights at Memorial Services for friends and former colleagues who were lost. John found his soulmate in Barbara Purcell, whom he married in 1971. He is survived by Barbara, his children John, Kevin and Suzanne.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Independent.

This article also appeared in Connect Summer 2004 issue