Dublin, Ireland — The Irish American Partnership disbursed $170,000 to education and community programs in Ireland, North and South, during its biennial leadership mission, held from September 24th to 26th, 2018.

The programs were selected for their transformative impact on students, schools, and communities across the island of Ireland. The grants further the Partnership’s priority campaigns: direct grants to schools, science education, university access, job training, and community development.

The leadership mission evaluates the Partnership’s programs in Ireland and gives members a glimpse into the valuable work conducted by the funded schools, universities, and community centers each day. It was split between Dublin and Belfast, exposing participants to the Partnership’s work in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. In total, the Partnership disbursed $120,000 to education and community development programs in the Republic of Ireland and $55,000 to education and cross-community initiatives in Northern Ireland.

Chief Executive Mary Sugrue said, of the mission: “The leadership mission is an invaluable opportunity for us to evaluate our program funding and demonstrate the Partnership’s transformative work in education and community development to our Board members and loyal supporters.”  

• Grants of $20,000 each were given to the RDS Primary Science Fair and Dublin City University for science education.

• Further promoting science education, the Partnership granted $10,000 to Mary Immaculate College for science teacher training and $5,000 to the Mallow Development Partnership for the Munster Maths & Science Fair.

• The Partnership also presented a gift of $25,000 to Board member Dave Greaney’s former secondary school, Thomond Community College in Limerick, as well as grants of $2,500 to Convent Primary School in Co. Clare and Dromore National School in Co. Cork.

• In an effort to make third level education affordable for all, the Partnership gave $40,000 to university access programs at Dublin City University, Trinity College, University of Ulster, and Queen’s University.

• To address Ireland’s structural unemployment problem, the Partnership presented its annual grant of $10,000 to Focusing on IT (FIT). This year, the Partnership sponsored FIT’s 2018 technology skills audit, which identified the core competencies demanded by technology companies operating in Ireland. FIT will use this knowledge to tailor its training programs, ensuring that its trainees emerge fully prepared to excel in the current job market.

• Finally, leadership mission participants spent a day in Belfast reviewing Partnership programs in Northern Ireland. During this time, they disbursed university access grants to Ulster and Queen’s Universities, direct grants to Holy Rosary Primary School (a Catholic Maintained school), Botanic Primary School (a Controlled school), and the Integrated Education Fund, and cross-community development grants to 174 Trust and Youth Link Northern Ireland.

Founded in 1987, The Irish American Partnership has been working to empower the next generation of Irish leaders by supporting educational initiatives and community development for over thirty years. In this time, the Partnership has given over $30 million to programs in Ireland North and South, disbursing 400 direct grants to schools, providing over 50 scholarships to Irish universities, funding science teacher training at 80 schools, and supporting job retraining programs.

Grants Disbursed during The Irish American Partnership’s 2018 Leadership Mission:

RDS: $20,000
Dublin City University (DCU): $30,000
Focusing on IT (FIT): $10,000
Mallow Development Partnership (for the Mallow Maths & Science Fair): $5,000
Mary Immaculate College: $10,000
Trinity College Dublin: $10,000
Integrated Education Fund: $10,000
174 Trust: $5,000
Youth Link: $10,000
Ulster University: $10,000
Queen’s University: $10,000
Holy Rosary Primary School: $5,000
Botanic Primary School: $5,000
Convent Primary School: $2,500
Dromore National School: $2,500
Thomond Community College: $25,000

Total: $170,000