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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

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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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