On Monday, October 4th, 2022, The Ireland Funds welcomed over 100 golfers to Bayonne Golf Club for its 20th New Jersey Golf Classic.
Guests enjoyed brunch at the clubhouse and a morning on the driving range before heading out on the challenging links of Bayonne which were designed to rival the look and feel of the legendary links courses of Scotland and Ireland.
Following a long day out on the course with some extreme Irish weather, guests gathered for a reception in the clubhouse and enjoyed the panoramic views of New York Harbor.
Caitriona Fottrell opened the program by thanking the Golf Classic Committee, Lead Sponsors Eddie Dowling & The Padded Wagon and The Conley Family, and everyone who came out to support the work of The Ireland Funds. She noted that this was the only Ireland Funds event that continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and thanked donors who had been attending since the very first gathering in 2003.
She spoke of The Ireland Funds’ Ukrainian Relief Fund which is supporting 7 Irish charities working to ensure access to education, resettlement and community integration, accommodation, employment, and the provision of mental health services to the 50,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Ireland under dire circumstances, as well as The Ireland Funds’ No Mind Left Behind Scholarship Program which will send almost 300 Irish students from DEIS schools to university for the 2022/2023 academic year, many of whom are the first in their families to attend third level education.
Brendan Farrell introduced this year’s honoree, Eddie Dowling, Owner, The Padded Wagon. One of the most active leaders in the Irish-American community, Brendan noted that Eddie was always there to lend a hand, reach out and help in any way he can. In his remarks, Eddie thanked his friends from the GPA who had travelled over from Ireland to show their support, and most importantly, his wife Aine and their four children for all their support.
Pat Tully hosted a lively auction with prizes including VIP experiences at the All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling Finals which were kindly donated by the GPA, access to the Mutual of America Suite at an upcoming Giants game, and foursomes at some of Ireland and New Jersey’s top golf courses. Following the auction, Pat Tully announced that with the funds raised on the night through the auction, this year’s outing was the most successful in the event’s 20-year history.
The Ireland Funds wishes to thank the following Tee Sponsors: Ancient Order of Hibernians, Andy Breslin & Family, Catholic Extension, Curley Financial Group, Andrew Gittle, Invest Northern Ireland, John Neary and Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey for providing specialty drinks throughout the day.
We are grateful to the following Foursome Sponsors: AC Risk Management, Broadridge, Chicago Title, John Degnan, The Children’s Medical Research Foundation, USI Insurance, FIP Construction, Shane Fitzsimons, Holland Farms, Gibbons, Michael P. Higgins, Kelley Drye, Kennedy Computer Consulting, KPMG, Conor T. McCoy, McQuade Family Foundation, Mutual of America, Charles P. Reagan, May & Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Teneo, Trident Construction, Brian & Joelle Kelly Family Foundation and The O’Rourke Family.
Gifts Bags were kindly sponsored by Martin P. Kehoe, the Cocktail Reception by Douglas Management & Realty, Inc. and The Hole In One by Mercedes Benz of Paramus.
Special thanks to our 2022 New Jersey Golf Classic Committee whose leadership made this year’s event possible and a record-breaking success: Christopher Bailey (Mutual of America), Anthony Callaghan (Gibbons P.C.), Dan Conley (Northern Litho), Kevin Curley (Curley Financial Group), Brendan P. Farrell, Jr. (Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.), Bob Garrett, Michael P. Higgins, Martin P. Kehoe, Thomas N. Kelly (KPMG LLP), Tom Kennedy Jr. (Kennedy Computer Consulting), Conor T. McCoy (Wells Fargo Advisors), Angus Miller (UBS Financial Services, Inc.), Patrick Murphy (Trident Construction), William M. Murphy (Douglas Management & Realty), Charles P. Reagan and Pat Tully (Pat Tully Inc.).
Photography: Nuala Purcell
