The Council's 2011 Annual Report is now available online for download. Click here for details
2012 Student Work Experience Scholarships Presentation
Scheduled for Council Awards Lunch June 14 in New York
The Council’s annual program of Student Work Experience Scholarships for
2012 will be celebrated this year at an awards luncheon to be held at The Metropolitan
Club in New York City on Thursday, June 14, 2012.
Council President Dennis D. Swanson, in releasing details of this year’s scholarship
awards, said "We are again this year delighted to announce details of the Council’s
scholarships for this year. We have operated this successful and admired Scholarship
Awards program for the past 28 years.”
Thursday, June 14, 2012 Venue: The Metropolitan Club, New York City
Cocktails: Noon • Lunch: 12:45PM Per Person: $125
For more information please call 212-867-6268 or
click here to book online
Energy a Hot Topic at Council Spring Corporate Lunch held in Dublin
Featuring Powerful Double-bill Guest Speaker Program
Ireland’s Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte,
TD was a Guest Speaker along with U.S. businessman and Council Board Member Gerald
C. Crotty, President of Weichert Enterprise, LLC, a private equity investment
firm and Chairman and CEO of Mayo Renewable Power, sponsor of a proposed
€150 million ($200 million) new, state-of-the-art bio-mass electricity generating
station in Mayo. Seen at the event held in Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel, were from
left P.J. Rudden of event sponsor RPS Group; Bob Schumacher of United Airlines
who also sponsored the occasion, Minister Pat Rabbitte; Gerald C. Crotty and President
of the Council's Ireland Chapter, Dr. Michael Somers.
Council’s 2012 St Patrick’s Lunch Honors Ireland’s Minister for Social Protection
Joan Burton TD and Parade Grand Marshal Frank Comerford
The Council’s 2012 St. Patrick’s Lunch was a sold-out affair and was held at the
Metropolitan Club in New York City on March 16. The Guest Speaker was Ireland’s
Minister for Social Protection, Ms. Joan Burton, TD. Also speaking at the
event was the Grand Marshal of the 2012 New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade,
Frank Comerford, Chief Revenue Officer of NBC Television Stations.
Seen at the event (above) were Council President Dennis Swanson and Minister Burton
while below Frank Comerford is presented with the traditional crystal apple by President
Swanson and Council President-Emeritus Mike Gibbons.
Wilbur Ross Addresses Council's Winter Meeting
in Palm Beach, Florida
At the Council’s 2012 Winter Meeting held February 15-17, the keynote address was
made by Wilbur Ross, the Chairman & CEO of W.L. Ross & Co. which is a leading
investor in a group that recently purchased a 35% stake in Bank of Ireland Group
for $1.5 billion. In remarks to the well-attended event held at The Beach Club in
Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Ross said that he expects the bank to sell for three times
current value. “In a couple of years when the economy and the loan portfolio have
been cleaned up, we believe that the largest bank in an economy as healthy as Ireland’s
then would sell at one-and-a-half times book value” he said.
Read full speech transcript (PDF)
Ireland’s Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, TD Is Guest of Honor
at Council’s 2011 Dublin Member-Guest Reception
The Council’s Member-Guest Reception in Dublin was held at the Four Seasons Hotel
on December 15, 2011. The Council presented the traditional Tiffany Crystal Apple
gift to Ireland’s Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, TD after his remarks to
the Council members and their guests. Seen at the presentation were (from left)
Council Board Members Aidan Smyth, Managing Director of Labplan and Brendan Cahill,
Partner at William Fry Solicitors; Guest of Honor Michael Noonan; U.S. Embassy’s
Commercial Attaché Dr. Stephen Anderson with Council Ireland Chapter President Dr.
Michael Somers.
Michael Noonan's speech at the Member-Guest Reception
in Dublin - December 2011
Kieran McGowan – Chairman of Ireland’s Largest Company CRH plc Receives Council’s
2011 Award for Outstanding Achievement
The Council’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2011 was presented to Kieran
McGowan, Chairman of CRH plc and former Chief Executive of IDA Ireland
at the organization’s 49th Annual Dinner held at the Metropolitan Club in New York
City on November 10.
At the presentation were (from left) Noel Kilkenny, Ireland’s Consul General in
New York; Council President Dennis D. Swanson, President, Fox Television Stations
Group; Kieran McGowan and Diarmuid Hogan, Council Vice President and President
of Global Excess Partners who served as Dinner Chairman and who introduced
the honoree at the sold-out event.
The Sam Maguire Cup was at the Council Dinner brought by members of the Dublin Football
Team sponsored by Aer Lingus.
View Kieran McGowan's speech at the Annual Dinner
Council's Successful Golf Day in Ireland
The Council staged a successful Golf Day in reland recently at the magnificent Palmerstown
Stud Golf Club in Johnstown, County Kildare. Sponsored by Council member-company
United Airlines, the event at the 18-hole layout was well-supported by Council
members and their guests on a perfect day for golf. Seen at the post-golf reception
were Roddy Feely, Executive Director of the Council, Stephen Anderson, Commercial
Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin and Council Vice-President Diarmuid Hogan,
Chairman of Global Excess Partners LLC in New York City.
Photos from the Council's New York Golf Day
The Council's New York Golf Day featured the Connie Doolan Memorial Golf Trophy
for the winning fourball led by Council Vice-President Diarmuid Hogan (left) of
Global Excess Partners. Connie's son Council-member John Doolan (second from
right) joined for the presentation. Diarmuid's team members were Bob O'Brien, Ted
Treacy and J.J. Sanseverino.
Ireland’s Consul General in New York Noel Kilkenny (center) with the Council’s David
O’Sullivan and Greg McIntyre from The Padded Wagon.
Terry Caffrey, Jason O’Connell, Garrett Doyle and George Lawrence.
Scott Supernaw, Chris Accomando, John Neary and Joe Byrne.
Bill Falvey of Council-sponsor Diageo with Howie Billings from Oak Beverage
and Pete DeSana from Standard Distributor.
Diageo and Guinness USA helped sponsor the event.
Have cart will golf.
Council National Secretary Jim Adrian brought a fourball to the event: (seen from
left) Steven Gilland, Michael Nicholas, Jim Adrian and Jay Keenan.
John Fitzpatrick with Jeremy and Christopher Boguki and Shane Cookman.
Greg McIntyre, Eugene Roddy Jack Petrie and Tom Goodwin
The Runners-up in the Golf Tournament – Bernard McMullan, John Power and Gerry Meehan.
Council members Bill Falvey of Diageo-Guinness USA with John Doolan of Heineken
USA.
The Heineken USA team - Fergus Begley, John Barney, Council-member John Doolan with
(in front) Howie Billings and Pete Desena.
Scholarships Presentation
Ireland’s Consul General Noel Kilkenny assisted in the presentation of the Council’s
Student Scholarship Award to Sheila Courtney. A native of County Meath, she is a
student at University College Dublin where she is pursuing a degree in Chemical
Engineering.
Council President Dennis Swanson interviewed by Irish Times
Friday July 20, 2009
THE FRIDAY INTERVIEW: DENNIS SWANSON, PRESIDENT, FOX TELEVISION STATIONS:
How does a former marine whose great grandfather emigrated from Mayo during the
Famine end up discovering Oprah Winfrey and working for Rupert Murdoch as president
of Fox Television Stations in the US?
As he reclines in his chair in the salubrious surroundings of the Four Seasons Hotel
in Ballsbridge, Dennis Swanson laughs a bit and says: “It was a long journey.”
Welcome to the website of the Ireland-U.S. Council. Our
mission is to build business links between America and Ireland. This site contains
detailed information on the organization's programs
and activities in both the United States and in the Emerald
Isle.
We value your interest in the mission of the Council and always welcome
new members. We hope that you find the answers here to any questions you
may have about us. If not, please contact us and we
will be happy to tell you more.
Ireland and America:
Challenges and Opportunities in a New Context
The Embassy of Ireland in Washington D.C., has published a Strategic Review of Relations
between Ireland and the United States (Ireland and America: Challenges and Opportunities
in a New Context). Our Council made a considered submission on the matter
as part of the review process that was conducted by Ireland's Ambassador to the
U.S., Michael Collins and Ambassador/Consul General in New York, Niall Burgess.
The document makes for interesting reading and contains important recommendations
which, if implemented, will enhance the relationships between America and Ireland.
It was back in 1962 that, in preparation for the visit of President John F. Kennedy
to Ireland the following year, two organizations were created as a measure to build
institutional form around a structure to improve the relations between America and
Ireland.
One was dedicated to cultural relations - the American Irish Foundation, which has
since merged into the American Ireland Fund. Your Council was the other and was
aimed at building business bonds between America and Ireland.
We cherish the shared commitments that connect us to our Council mission. During
the past year, the Council has enjoyed outstanding support from members and from
many benefactors, patrons and sponsors. On behalf of the Council's Board and the
entire membership of the organization throughout the United States and in all parts
of Ireland, we offer thanks for the support we continue to receive.
Dennis Swanson
Ireland-U.S. Council President
The Ireland-U.S. Council Welcomes Decisions To Expand Work Visa Programs Between
Ireland and the United States
The Ireland-U.S. Council welcomes the decisions of both the Irish Government and
the United States Administration to implement a substantial liberalization of visa
rules allowing for U.S. citizens to work in Ireland and for Irish citizens to work
in the United States for up to a year. Read More ...
