The Ireland Funds
Encyclopedia
The Ireland Funds are a global fundraising
network for people of Irish
ancestry and friends of Ireland
, dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland. The Funds exist in 12 countries around the world, the largest member of the network being The American Ireland Fund, and, after Atlantic Philanthropies
, may be the second largest non-governmental donor to Irish causes. The global chairman of The Ireland Funds is Tony O'Reilly
. They have raised over $350 million for worthy causes in Ireland and around the world.
President
John F. Kennedy
joined with Irish
President
Éamon de Valera
to form The American Irish Foundation. The mission of this organization was to foster connections between Americans of Irish descent and the country of their ancestry.
), former CEO of H.J. Heinz Co. (as well as a former Ireland rugby union
player), created The Ireland Fund with friend and fellow Pittsburgh
businessman Dan Rooney
, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers
football
team, who now also serves as the current United States Ambassador to Ireland
. With three goals, "Peace, Culture and Charity", The Ireland Fund appealed for support for Ireland and its people from all Americans, especially those of Irish descent.
ceremony to form The American Ireland Fund
and to become the world's largest private organization funding constructive change in Ireland, both in Northern Ireland
and in the Republic of Ireland
.
including Boston
, Chicago
, Palm Beach
, New York
, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, Philadelphia, New Jersey
and Washington D.C.
Although The American Ireland Fund remains the largest component of The Ireland Funds structure, there are also chapters in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand and Ireland.
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
network for people of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
ancestry and friends of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland. The Funds exist in 12 countries around the world, the largest member of the network being The American Ireland Fund, and, after Atlantic Philanthropies
Atlantic Philanthropies
The Atlantic Philanthropies is a private foundation created in 1982 by US businessman Charles F. "Chuck" Feeney. The Atlantic Philanthropies grant-making supports health and social projects in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam...
, may be the second largest non-governmental donor to Irish causes. The global chairman of The Ireland Funds is Tony O'Reilly
Tony O'Reilly
Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...
. They have raised over $350 million for worthy causes in Ireland and around the world.
The American Irish Foundation
During his visit to Ireland in 1963, United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
joined with Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
President
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
to form The American Irish Foundation. The mission of this organization was to foster connections between Americans of Irish descent and the country of their ancestry.
The Ireland Fund
In 1976, Dr. Anthony J.F. O'Reilly (Sir Tony O'ReillyTony O'Reilly
Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...
), former CEO of H.J. Heinz Co. (as well as a former Ireland rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player), created The Ireland Fund with friend and fellow Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
businessman Dan Rooney
Dan Rooney
Daniel Milton "Dan" Rooney is the United States Ambassador to Ireland. He is chairman emeritus of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the National Football League , which was founded by his father, Art Rooney. Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions...
, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team, who now also serves as the current United States Ambassador to Ireland
United States Ambassador to Ireland
There have been a total of 30 Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland meaning the Republic of Ireland. All except one, Frederick A. Sterling, have been non-career appointees, while there were three under President George W. Bush.-List of Ambassadors:...
. With three goals, "Peace, Culture and Charity", The Ireland Fund appealed for support for Ireland and its people from all Americans, especially those of Irish descent.
Merger
On St. Patrick's Day 1987, The Ireland Fund and the American Irish Foundation merged at a White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
ceremony to form The American Ireland Fund
The American Ireland Fund
The American Ireland Fund is an organization that raises funds for the support of peace and reconciliation, community development, education, arts and culture in Ireland. Since its founding it has raised more than US $250 million...
and to become the world's largest private organization funding constructive change in Ireland, both in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Chapters of The American Ireland Fund
Over the following decade, The Ireland Funds formed a thriving fundraising network of chapters in additional cities across the United States as The American Ireland FundThe American Ireland Fund
The American Ireland Fund is an organization that raises funds for the support of peace and reconciliation, community development, education, arts and culture in Ireland. Since its founding it has raised more than US $250 million...
including Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, Philadelphia, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Washington D.C.
International chapters
In parallel with expansion within the USA, Ireland Funds were established in a range of countries, from Ireland itself to Canada (launched 1978), Australia (launched 1987), Great Britain (1988), France (1990), New Zealand (1992), Germany (1993), Japan (1993), Monaco (1998), China (1998) and Singapore (2009).Today
With over 70 events annually in 40 cities around the world, attended by 40,000 people, and raising over $300 million since 1976 , The Ireland Funds is one of the largest non-governmental organizations helping Ireland. It does most of its work by choosing and contributing to the work of other NGOs.Although The American Ireland Fund remains the largest component of The Ireland Funds structure, there are also chapters in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand and Ireland.