On Tuesday December 6th, 2022, 450 friends of Ireland gathered to celebrate The Ireland Funds 38th Annual Chicago Dinner Gala.
Dinner Chairman Michael O’Halleran, Co-Chairs Devon Bruce, Tom Meagher and Patrick Canning along with dinner committee members ensured that it was a successful and fun evening.
Áine Mallaghan, Vice President of The Ireland Funds America, Midwest, welcomed the guests and led a special moment of remembrance for the special friends we lost this past year.
Caitriona Fottrell, President & CEO of The Ireland Funds introduced the guest speakers for the evening from Cancer Fund for Children. Neil Symington, Director of Services, provided the guests with an overview of their work. Phil Alexander did a fireside chat with Cancer Fund for Children Ambassador, Rory Best. Rory is the former captain of the Irish rugby team and has worked with Cancer Fund for Children for the last 4 years.
Michael O’Halleran, Chairman of The Ireland Funds Regional Advisory Committee, presented a special gift to Pat Canning, Co-chair of the Chicago Dinner.
Tom Meagher, Co-chair of the Chicago Dinner spoke about the amazing work of honoree, Sister Rosemary Connelly. A native of the Austin neighborhood in Chicago, with parents hailing from County Mayo, Sister Rosemary has led a life of compassion, advocacy and service to Misericordia and the Chicago community beyond 50 years.
Sister Rosemary on accepting The Ireland Funds Humanitarian Award said, “Tonight this award is touching me at the core of my very being and the very roots of my life. I am so very proud to call myself an Irish American’’.
Special thanks to Aer Lingus, College Football Ireland, Experience Ireland Golf and Travel, Chicago Bulls and Tom Cronin for their support.
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Photographer: Ana Miyares
