b'ConnectSPRING / SUMMER2 0 1 5Dear Fellow Supporters,Having just completed my first year as Chairman of The American Ireland Fund, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your incredible generosity and support. I had the opportunity to attendmany of our events across the US and other parts of the world this past year, and could not believe theextraordinary commitment to helping worthy causes in Ireland that I encountered at every stop I madealong the way.Back in Ireland, the positive impact that all that generosity is having is very obvious. You can see it in projects such as Barnardos, which works with the disadvantaged and marginalized. You can see it in Barretstown, which offers care and therapy to children with life-threatening illnesses and support to their families. And you can see it in Northern Ireland, where ordinary people are doing extraordinary things to move the Peace Process forward. I am delighted that we announced a gift of $1 million to support the excellent work of Co-operation Ireland which you can read about on page 26 in this issue.We brought our annual Conference to Belfast last year, where we were made very welcome. Every attendee that I spoke to praised the hospitality we were shown, and said they would gladly return to Belfast.I hope you will consider joining us at the 2015 Conference, which will take place in beautiful Killarney from June 18th20th of this year. There, you will be able to see firsthand the difference your support is making, and also have a voice in shaping our goals moving forward.At a time when public sources of finance are under such pressure, private philanthropy has never been more critical. Today, we are one of the largest, if not the largest, private grant makers inIreland. This means that we can and we must influence real change, and our Promising Ireland Campaign is doing just that. Your remarkable generosity has enabled us to be on track to achieve our new goal of $200 million, which is double our original goal. I am proud of all the good work we do together, and I hope that you will see that work firsthand yourself and feel the same sense of pride that I do. With much appreciation,John FitzpatrickChairmanThe American Ireland Fundconnect2015 | 3'