The Ireland Fund Dinner was the perfect way to wrap up St. Patrick’s Day. A wall of green soft pretzels in the shape of shamrocks and the Irish Dubliner whiskey wheel gave more than 450 guests a real taste of the Emerald Isle as they entered the UPMC Club at Acrisure Stadium Friday night.
The Ireland Fund was established to promote peace, culture, education and community development in Ireland and Irish causes around the world. This was the first dinner held on the holiday since the pandemic began.
“We are happy to continue the tradition that my dad started many years ago with the first dinner in New York in 1976,” said Art Rooney II (with Greta). “Now there are dinners around the world.”
“This is a great dinner,” agreed his younger brother, Jim Rooney (with Stephanie). “We had an award named after my father but decided to do one named after my mother, who went to the University of Pittsburgh, so it is a special night honoring Pitt chancellor Patrick Gallagher and Curtis Aiken.”
The brothers and their sister, Pat Rooney Gerrero (with Bob), mingled during cocktails while enjoying some exceptional traditional Irish dance performances by the University of Pittsburgh Irish Dancers before dinner.
Pittsburgh chancellor Patrick Gallagher (with Karen) was presented with the Daniel M. Rooney Ambassador’s Award and Curtis Aiken Sr. received the Patricia R. Rooney Community Impact Award.
“The real special part of this tonight for me is just being recognized with the Dan Rooney award because he brought two peoples of two different countries together in this city in a way that I think is unique,” said Gallagher.
Reed Smith’s global managing partner, Casey Ryan, chaired this year’s event, which grossed $670,000.
“We are all happy to support both the Rooney family and the Ireland Fund and their philanthropic mission,” said Ryan.
“Reed Smith has played a role in this dinner since the beginning,” added Dan Booker, former managing partner of the law firm.
Among the Irish and Irish for day were honorary chair Geovette Washington with Jeffrey Robinson, former Gov. Tom Corbett with Susan, Kristen and Omar Kahn, Shelley and Dan Onorato, University of Pittsburgh board chair Doug Browning, Bonnie and Tom VanKirk, Susie and Neal Shipley, Kevin Acklin, Vanessa and David Morehouse and Janis and Kevin Colbert.
First Published: March 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
