The New York chapter of the Young Leaders got together at Rosie O’Grady’s Manhattan Club on Thursday Dec 1st to kick off the holiday season at their annual Celtic Christmas celebration.
Guests were greeted with traditional Irish music performed by Christy McNamara of County Clare on the button accordion along with two friends from New York City on the harp and fiddle, creating the perfect Irish American trio and a brilliant way to set the holiday mood.
The evening reached a crescendo when the 2010 Young Leader of the Year, Tom Kennedy, introduced this year’s recipient of the award, Suzanne O’Sullivan Walters. The Young Leader of the Year is chosen by a vote of the active members in the chapter and goes to the individual who has gone over and above the call of duty in carrying out the mission of The American Ireland Fund. Suzanne earned this honor because of her commitment to raising funds for the work of The American Ireland Fund which has supported over 1,200 organizations to-date. Through some of the most difficult economic conditions, Suzanne stayed true to the mission and took on the task of co-hosting the hugely successful St. Patrick’s day celebration this year, along with another previous Young Leader of the Year, Rob Fox. During her speech, Suzanne spoke about the importance of reconnecting to her Irish roots and how The American Ireland Fund provides that opportunity to her every day with incredible personal dividends.
The program concluded with a live auction highlighted by a VIP experience to see Irish actor Cillian Murphy’s new play “Misterman” (Written by Enda Walsh) followed by cocktails with Cillian, himself.
The money raised at the event will go towards the $100 million “Promising Ireland Campaign,” that is currently providing critical funding to organizations in need across the island of Ireland.