Monaco Celebrates with Style and Substance
The Ireland Fund of Monaco held its biennial celebration from October 6th to 8th. The event attracted support from across the Funds’ network including, America, Ireland, France, Germany and as far a field as Australia. The visitors were treated to exquisite events in breathtaking surroundings by their Monegasque hosts.
The weekend included
- Dinner hosted by AWB Vincent, the Founder and President Emeritus of The Ireland Fund of Monaco
- Lunch hosted by Michael Fitzgerald, President of the Fund at the spectacular cliff top village of Roquebrune, one time home of W.B Yeats, addressed by the celebrated Irish author Colm McCann
- Lunch hosted by Mrs. Susan Wildman and her brother Tony O’Reilly Jnr. on behalf of the Founder of The Ireland Funds, Sir Anthony O’Reilly
- The high point of the weekend was the Saturday gala dinner at which HSH Prince Albert presented the Second Princess Grace Humanitarian Award to HG Duchess of Abercorn.
The Award, the only one of its kind named after the late Princess, was presented to The Duchess for her establishment of the Pushkin Prizes. Named after her illustrious ancestor, the scheme encourages creative writing among young people. President of the Ireland Fund of Monaco, Mr. Michael Fitzgerald, announced two major initiatives, the first to research the causes of chronic diseases including depression and the second to build upon the Irish tradition of assisting those in the developing world.
The weekend closed with dinner in the famed wine cellar of the Hotel de Paris, le Cave, at which Loretta Brennan Glucksman congratulated Michael Fitzgerald and his Board, not only for the wonderfully enjoyable weekend but on the very significant benefit and help The Ireland Fund of Monaco would bring to those in real distress in Ireland and elsewhere.
