connect 2018 • 70 AROUND THE WORLD BOSTON November, 2017 Over 1,000 guests gathered for The Ireland Funds 36th Annual Boston Gala at the Westin Boston Waterfront. A record-breaking $2.6+ million, the largest amount ever achieved at the Boston Gala, was raised to support non-profit organizations across the island of Ireland and around the world. The Annual Boston Gala is one of the largest of The Ireland Funds’ 150+ international events. The 2017 Boston Gala was Co-Chaired by David Greaney President and CEO of Synergy Investments and Robert E. Griffin U.S. Head of Capital Markets and President of The New England Area at Newmark Knight Frank. The 2017 Gala honored noted business leader and philanthropist Peter S. Lynch, President of The Lynch Foundation and Vice Chairman of Fidelity Management and Research Company. The invocation was delivered by His Eminence Cardinal Seán O’Malley. Preceding his prayer, the Cardinal thanked The Ireland Funds for its critical work in Ireland and its support of worthwhile non-profit projects in Greater Boston. John Fitzpatrick, Chairman of The Ireland Funds America, thanked the Co-Chairmen and Committee and acknowledged the attendance of Ireland’s Ambassador to the US Dan Mulhall. Kieran McLoughlin, Worldwide President and CEO of The Ireland Funds, called Boston “the pulse of The Ireland Funds in America.” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, greeted by a warm ovation, said how much he enjoyed the event with so many good friends while supporting projects in Ireland as well as in the Greater Boston area. After dinner, 12-year-old Cian Michael Smith, an uilleann pipes player from Ballymacabry, County Waterford, accompanied by his two first cousins on the fiddle and melodeon respectively, played a lively traditional Irish medley and danced a few steps. Jack Connors, the 2015 Gala honoree and longtime friend of Peter Lynch, introduced Peter. After pointing out Peter’s storied career at Fidelity Investments and his prolific stock-picking success over 20 years at the helm of Fidelity’s industry-acclaimed Magellan Fund, Jack Connors then focused on the extraordinary work that Lynch, together with his late wife Carolyn, had undertaken as strategic philanthropists. To a standingovation,Lynchthenaddressedtheroom,reflectingchiefly on his “second career” and the joy he and his late wife Carolyn had investigating and vetting philanthropic opportunities while raising funds to have real impact for projects in the US and Ireland. Lynch also described the joy he and Carolyn shared in their “discovering” Ireland together which ultimately led them to acquire and restore a beautiful Georgian estate on hundreds of acres which became their second home. Vice President of Major Gifts and New England Director, Steve Greeley closed the evening by expressing The Ireland Funds’ deep appreciation to its donors, guests and Honoree Peter Lynch and encouraged everyone to join popular local Irish band Devri for the post-Gala celebration. 36th Annual Boston Gala 1