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The Art of Secret Giving

Published Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 4:13 PM

Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 6:11 PM

Read more: Chuck Feeney, Charitable Giving, Conor O'Clery

Irish American Chuck Feeney is one of the greatest philanthropists in American history, giving his billions away anonymously. A new book by Conor O'Clery reveals the secrets behind his extra-ordinary story for the first time. CAHIR O'DOHERTY reports.

WHEN then Irish Times writer Conor O'Clery first met the billionaire philanthropist Chuck Feeney during the early 1990s he was covering exciting new developments in the Irish peace process, and he barely noticed the inconspicuous Irish American man in the off the rack suits and the cheap watch who discreetly attended meetings behind the flashier delegates.

Although he chose not to announce his status by wearing a gold Rolex Feeney, it turned out, was neither poor nor miserly. In fact O'Clery was surprised to discover he was one of the richest and most charitable men in the world.

But to see him in those early years of the peace process was to wonder who he was and why he had been invited. No one seemed to know much about him.

"Although he never drew attention to himself or his work, Chuck Feeney was hugely important in convincing Sinn Fein that if the IRA turned away from violence to accept a totally political role they would bring the process forward," O'Clery told the Irish Voice in advance of the publication of his new Feeney biography The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune, published this month by Public Affairs Books.

"I have no doubt after talking to Gerry Adams and Nancy Soderberg (who was in the National Security Council in the White House) that without Chuck Feeney and the Irish American delegation who spearheaded the peace initiative's involvement, the IRA ceasefire would have been delayed for about a year."

Back door diplomacy and huge but private donations were - and are - Feeney's stock in trade, and no matter what cause he donated to one thing remained the same - he insisted on iron clad, lawyer protected anonymity every time.

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

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