New Jersey Golf Classic 2025
On Monday, September 8th, 2025, The Ireland Funds welcomed over 100 golfers to Bayonne Golf Club for The Ireland Funds 23rd New Jersey Golf Classic.
This year’s event honored Joe Hession, founder and CEO of SNOW Partners and the founder of The Hession Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to enriching lives and communities through access to outdoor recreation and support for youth and families. The Ireland Funds were delighted to recognize and celebrate Joe, for his leadership, friendship and generous contributions to our mission, and the work of so many other organizations including the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams, and the New Jersey Golf Foundation.
The beautiful weather created a fantastic energy for all the golfers, as they competed out on the challenging links of Bayonne which were designed to rival the look and feel of the legendary links courses of Ireland.
Following a long day on the course, guests gathered for a cocktail reception and dinner and enjoyed the panoramic views of New York City.
Caitriona Fottrell, President & CEO of The Ireland Funds, expressed deep gratitude to the Golf Classic Committee and everyone who came out to support the work of The Ireland Funds. She especially acknowledged the Hession family, and Presenting Sponsors Big Snow American Dream, Mountain Creek, SNOW Partners, SNOW Operating and Snowcloud for their generous support.
For over twenty years, the impact of this gathering has been felt in communities across the island of Ireland. This summer, The Ireland Funds’ Heart of the Community Fund supported 42 nonprofits in hard-to-reach communities across Northern Ireland working with young people to foster civic leadership, develop employment pathways, and provide crucial mental health supports. Caitriona highlighted how later in the month, over 450 students from 23 counties across the island of Ireland will receive scholarships to go to and through university, as part of The Ireland Funds’ No Mind Left Behind Scholarship program.
Eddie Dowling, President & CEO of The Padded Wagon, introduced Joe Hession as the 2025 New Jersey Golf Classic Honoree and presented him with a unique golf sculpture carved from 5,600-year-old Irish bog oak. In his tribute, Eddie highlighted how Joe wasn’t just admired for his business leadership and accomplishments, but also for his devotion to his family, his character, and generosity.
During his acceptance speech, Joe spoke of the warmth and welcome he received every year at this event, and in particular during his trips to Ireland. He paid tribute to his Irish grandparents, his wife Halley and their three sons, and all those in the room who set the bar so high through their commitment to The Ireland Funds, and so many other causes.
Special guests included Ireland’s new Consul General in New York Gerald Angley, and Minister of State at the Department of Finance Robert Troy, who thanked all those in attendance for their steadfast commitment to Ireland.
Pat Tully closed the evening by hosting a lively and humorous auction with prizes including VIP experiences at the All-Ireland Senior Hurling and Football Finals which were kindly donated by the GPA, rounds of golf at some of the country’s most exclusive golf courses such as Hamilton Farm and Calusa Pines, a luxury trip to Naples with deep sea fishing, as well as an all-inclusive experience at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, New Jersey.
Thanks to the remarkable generosity of our supporters and sponsors, this year’s New Jersey Golf Classic was the most successful in its 23-year history. None of this would have been possible without the leadership of our 2025 New Jersey Golf Classic Committee who are the heart of the success of this gathering: Christopher Bailey (Mutual of America), Anthony Callaghan (Hostetler), Dan Conley (Northern Litho), Eddie Dowling (The Padded Wagon), Brendan P. Farrell (Broadridge Solutions Inc, Retired) , Michael P. Higgins, Tom Kennedy Jr (ET Kennedy Coastal Construction), 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.).
The Ireland Funds extends sincere thanks this year’s Presenting Sponsors: Big SNOW American Dream, Mountain Creek, SNOW Operating, SNOW Partners and Snowcloud for their generous support. We are also very grateful to our lead sponsors: The Conley Family, Mr. & Mrs. John O Degnan, Johnnie Walker, Charles P. Reagan and Sylvan, and all those who joined with Foursomes: American Dream, Broadridge, Chicago Title, Children’s Medical Research Foundation, DMC Partners, Douglas Management & Realty, Fenian Capital Strategies, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, The Hanrahan Family Foundation, ET Kennedy Coastal Construction, Mutual of America, Natoli Construction, The O’Rourke Family, The Padded Wagon and Trident Construction. Special thanks to our Hole in One Sponsor, Prestige Lexus of Ramsey, and Beverage Sponsors Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey and Johnnie Walker.
Photography by James Higgins