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Irish Voice News

Global Irish Institute Launched at Forum

November 15, 2007

By Cahir O’Doherty

THE rapidly changing relationship between the United States and Ireland was the key focus of the inaugural U.S.-Ireland Forum held at the Affinia Hotel in Manhattan on November 7 and 8. Over 1,000 people attended the event.

The U.S.-Ireland Forum was presented by Irish America magazine, University College Dublin and the American Ireland Fund with support from the Irish government and Aer Lingus.

Panelists over the two days addressed critical themes and challenges in the evolving relationship between the two nations, which included the Celtic Tiger economy, immigration, culture and education and the relationship between Ireland and the diaspora.

“Ireland does not understand Irish America, even if it thinks it does,” Dr. Hugh Brady, president of UCD, told the conference at the outset. Brady indicated that there was a clear need for Ireland to study and learn from the business success of Irish America.

With this in mind he took the opportunity to publicly unveil UCD’s plan to create the John Hume Global Irish institute (funded in part by well-known Donegal developer Pat Doherty), which Brady says will be an international center of excellence in Dublin driven by the mandate to explore and record the lessons and contributions of Ireland’s diaspora.

Kip Condron, CEO of AXA Financial and president of the American Ireland Fund’s Executive Committee, echoed Brady’s remarks. “New resources must be put in place to encourage and monitor the special relationship between Ireland and the U.S.,” Condron added, the better to understand the dynamic and complex relationship between the two nations.

Irish Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Collins extended greetings on behalf of the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern and argued strongly for the need to showcase Ireland in new and ever more innovative ways. Collins said the best way to accomplish this task was by staying in touch with the international diaspora and thereby staying relevant.

Collins also acknowledged that the plight of the undocumented Irish in the U.S. remained a top priority for the Irish government and pledged to work for a resolution to the situation.

In his opening remarks to the conference, Irish America/Irish Voice publisher Niall O’Dowd said that the forum would function as a think tank to help plot the future of Irish-U.S. relations. Describing the forum as a “first step and a vital one,” O’Dowd declared that Ireland’s buoyant economy and its political settlement in the North meant that Ireland’s traditional dependency was over, and the time had come for a dialogue between the two nations.

In the “Future of the Celtic Tiger” segment, Richard Medley, chairman of Medley Capitol and former partner of George Soros, stated that the Irish had to be aware that the investment dollars they took for granted during the height of the Celtic Tiger boom no longer would go to Ireland.

Medley stated that Eastern European countries, more than India or China, were a threat to Ireland because of their lower wages and recent European Union access as well as increasingly educated workforces.

In the “Social Capital and Philanthropy” discussion Atlantic Philanthropies Chief Executive Gara LaMarche said that Chuck Feeney created the foundation, which had so far given $1 billion to causes in Ireland, and there was still $4 billion in the fund to be distributed over the next decade.

LaMarche joined a number of other speakers at the session in saying that Ireland’s wealthy elite did not give as much to charity as their American counterparts.

Kieran McLoughlin, president of the American Ireland Fund, said that about $296 billion was given away in the U.S. last year. Some 83% of this came from individuals, equating to just over 2% of U.S. GDP. He quoted figures for Ireland, which suggested that the amount given away was 0.34% of GDP.

“In 2002, there were 10,000 millionaires in Ireland. That figure has now risen to 33,000, which is twice the per capita of the number of the U.S.,” McLoughlin said.

LaMarche and Kingsley Aikins, chief executive of the Ireland Funds, said the issue of philanthropy was set to increase dramatically in Ireland.

LaMarche said the figures available highlighted how far behind other countries Ireland was when it came to philanthropic giving. He said there were 26 grant-making foundations in Ireland, compared with 8,000 in Britain.

In the “Culture and Education” panel Professor James Flannery from Emory University stated that Ireland needed to be more cognizant of Irish American achievement in culture and the arts, and to realize it was not all a one way street.

Author Pete Hamill stated that the Irish had played an incredibly important role in shaping America’s legacy in culture and the arts.

The lunchtime keynote speaker was Nobel Laureate in Economics James Heckman, who discussed Ireland’s vital role as a laboratory for study of childhood educational problems.

In the afternoon session of “Community in Transition” former Con-gressman Bruce Morrison stated that it was vitally important that Ireland learn from the experience in America of absorbing immigrants. Irish Consul General in New York Niall Burgess pointed out that the Irish government had made huge increases in the amounts of money given to immigrant organizations.

Celebrated Irish economist and broadcaster David McWilliams told the forum that the Irish diaspora, which was traditionally ignored by successive Irish governments, actually contained what he called the “soft power” to bring the country forward economically.

Ireland, he said, should make greater use of its diaspora or “tribe” in a manner similar to the Israeli model. Williams argued that Ireland was an Atlantic and not a continental nation; it looks east to Europe for its political models and west to the U.S. for its economic models, and it derives its unique strengths from this arrangement.

In the “Common Agenda” section Patricia Harty, editor of Irish America magazine, stated that it was President Mary Robinson with her symbolic “light in the window” for returning immigrants who had first popularized the notion of the diaspora.

As keynote speaker at the forum dinner Don Keough, chairman of Allen & Company and former president of Coca-Cola, suggested that the Irish government appoint a Diaspora Commission to create a political forum for people of Irish birth or descent currently living outside of Ireland, who would nonetheless like to participate in Irish life.

Keough suggested the creation of an Irish commonwealth, which he said could be achieved by inviting delegates to the first Diaspora Convention, which could be scheduled for 2010. Keough said that Ireland would be wise to capitalize on the goodwill of its diaspora, and he argued that this could be achieved by making it “a living part of the future of those who were lucky enough to have a drop of Irish blood.”

Irish American dance star and entrepreneur Michael Flatley stated that there was a need more than ever for the diaspora and for pride in Irish heritage in a global world where identity was a key issue.

In the following morning session delegates discussed “Why the Diaspora Really Matters.” Declan Kelly, president and CEO of financial communications company FD, told the forum that Ireland’s unique culture is the “aorta valve” that keeps it alive. It is, he claimed, an asset that was not utilized half as much as it could be.

Kelly echoed Keough’s call for a Diaspora Commission and counseled that it should be created within a specific period of time, to enhance its mission and secure its success.

Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chairman of the American Ireland Fund, stated that she believed that Irish sentiment and good will towards Americans was as strong as ever despite event such as the Iraq war and anti Bush feelings.

Admission to the two day event was free and attracted capacity audiences on both days. A full list of speakers and conference topics is available online at www.usirelandforum.com.

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