connect 2019 • 96 AROUND THE WORLD GREAT BRITAIN November, 2018 The Ireland Funds Great Britain celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gala dinner at One Great George Street in Westminster. The event marked 30 years of philanthropy and support for Ireland and the Irish community in Great Britain. Awards honoring “an outstanding contribution to Ireland and the Irish community in Great Britain” were presented by IFGB Chair Rory Godson to three honorees: Sir Anthony O’Reilly, businessman and co-founder of The Ireland Funds (award collected by his son Tony O’Reilly Jr.); Sean Mulryan, Founder and Group Chief Executive of Ballymore; and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland. Delivering a keynote address, Mrs. Robinson spoke of the innate generosity of the Irish people and how it is in our DNA to “sit down and give back.” Quoting a favorite Irish saying “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine” (translation: “People live in each other’s shad- ows”), Mrs. Robinson spoke of how the Irish have supported and sheltered each other through good times and bad. Mrs. Robinson recalled her time as President of Ireland and the importance connecting the global diaspora; she famously put a light in the window of Áras an Uachtaráin to welcome the diaspora to their homeland. Guests at the sell-out event included former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Michael & Niamh Flatley, television presenter and broadcaster Angela Scanlon and husband Roy Horgan, and Chair of Ireland Funds America John Fitzpatrick. Entertainment was provided by Sir James and Lady Galway, accompanied by pianist Michael McHale. The Ireland Funds Great Britain 30th Anniversary 10 9 6 8 5 2 3 7 4 1 1 Sean Mulryan, Mary Robinson, Tony O'Reilly Jr. 2 Angela Scanlon, Mary Robinson, Tonya Meli 3 John Fitzpatrick, Mary Robinson, Bernadine Mulryan 4 Brian Cowen, Annette McGarry, Seamus McGarry 5 Awards by DesignYard Awards, Dublin 6 Fireside chat with MC Maggie Doyle 7 Tony O'Reilly Jr., Sean Mulryan 8 Mary Robinson 9 Sir James & Lady Galway, Michael & Niamh Flatley 10 30th Anniversary Committee with honorees Photos: Danny Fitzpatrick/DF photography co.uk