President of Quinnipiac University for the past 22 years, John Lahey has spearheaded the university’s emergence as one of the leading eduational institutions in the U.S. He has increased Quinnipiac’s endowment from $5 million to $175 million, guided a comprehensive building program, and directed a more than 300 percent increase in student enrollment. Quinnipiac is now listed among The Princeton Review’s “Best 361 Colleges.”  

 

A member of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee for more than 20 years, and the 1997 Grand Marshal of the parade, Dr. Lahey has devoted much of his time to educating the public about Ireland’s Great Hunger. Under his leadership, Quinnipiac has developed one of the largest collections of books, educational materials and art on the subject. 

 

Lahey, who was raised in the Bronx, resides in Connecticut with his wife Judy and his two sons, Brent and Robert. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Lahey, was born in Co. Kerry. His paternal grandmother, Agnes Roche, hails from Cork and his

maternal grandmother, Nellie Griffin, is from Clare. His mother, Caroline, taught at St. Margaret’s School for 40 years, and his

late father Herb was a long-time member of the New York City bricklayers’ union and founder of the Riverdale Little League.