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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

World's greatest Irishman is finally honored

Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2010 at 06:25 PM

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The Museum of Natural History in New York was a splendid setting for an extraordinary event on Tuesday night when over 1,000 New Yorkers came to pay tribute to a remarkable human being-- by some accounts one of the most remarkable on the planet.

Businessman Charles Feeney was finally accepting an accolade in public from his old school Cornell and the great and the good were present.

He has also given $600 million to Cornell, which was the only school to offer him a scholarship when he graduated high school.

Feeney is the Irish American from New Jersey who has given away all his massive fortune, $5 billion at last count, to charity through his philanthropic foundation Atlantic Philanthropies.

He made his fortune by founding Duty Free Shops placed them in almost every airport in the world, and later selling that company.

Along the way, fiercely proud of his Irish heritage, he played a huge role in the Irish peace process, a contribution that was widely noted on the night.

He played a key role in winning a U.S. visa for Gerry Adams and bringing President Clinton to the Irish peace process. In addition he essentially saved Irish university education by injecting massive funds into research and new programs.

One college president, at Trinity College called him " the man who saved Ireland" for his work

All Irish Americans can be truly proud of this extraordinary human being who exemplifies the best of the Irish.

A recent book by Irish journalist Conor O'Clery 'The Billionaire Who Wasn't" finally blew the whistle on the reclusive New Jersey billionaire and all the extraordinary work he has done over the past decades to help allieviate poverty and suffering on this globe.

He remains the greatest philanthropist of the 20th century, bigger than Rockefeller or Gates and he has been widely credited with forcing a revolution in how giving is managed.

His philosophy is "Giving while Living' and his foundation will be wound down by 2019.

Now both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have followed his example.

Instead of foundations spending small sums every year and retaining their capital, Feeney has made it fashionable to address massive issues head on and spend money now to address them.

The love in the room for Feeney was very evident. This shyest of men got an overwhelming ovation when he stepped to the podium to make his remarks . They were as usually self deprecating and brief.

But he didn't need to say it. He had done it, "by your deeds shall we know you."

I am proud to have known him for the past twenty years as a good and close friend.

He made me even prouder on Tuesday night.

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Temerity | Jul 01, 2010, 04:00 AM EDT

How typically Irish just listen to yourselves.God Bless this goos man.

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GeorgeDavis | Jun 19, 2010, 09:31 PM EDT

Wounded Knee: You really spanked that guy figirish!

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GeorgeDillon | Jun 18, 2010, 06:25 PM EDT

I agree that this guy Feeney is an interfering bigot. He's not Irish--why's he butting into irish affairs. Being rich doesn't give you the right to interfere in other countries.

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Laura Wilson | Jun 11, 2010, 11:16 PM EDT

Hey as long as they come here and do it the right way (Legal) I say go for it. American by birht Irish by the grace od god.

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WoundedKnee | Jun 11, 2010, 08:09 PM EDT

figtirish: " Why should he fund anti immigrant groups?" First, your use of language is really sloppy. There are no anti-immigrant groups, there are anti-Mass immigration groups. They condemn the policy, not the people. So be a bit more articulate with English before you rush into a topic. Second, why should he fund immigrant groups in a foreign country? If he's such a big fan of Mass Immigration, why deosn't he fund La Raza here in the US? 70% of the Irish people, according to all the polls, are unhappy about the Open Door immigration policy of Fianna Fail. Yet they never got a chance to vote on it, and their voice is drowned out by foreign bullies like Feeney. This man is a billionaire, he doesn't have to send his child to one of the many schools in Dublin where foreign children (many of them with no English) are now in a majority. Buzz off, Feeney!

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imuverin | Jun 11, 2010, 04:16 PM EDT

slainte9 get a life you have no idea who Chuck Feeney is, and what he has accomplished. They say ignorance is bliss, so bliss away.

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LouGuyt | Jun 11, 2010, 01:53 PM EDT

After reading some of these comments, it certainly appears that no good deed goes unpunished!

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CullenAbroad | Jun 11, 2010, 01:35 PM EDT

hehe Good wan heybulldog69

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Searlit | Jun 11, 2010, 11:27 AM EDT

It is so refreshing to read about a great man like Charles Feeney being honored for his kindness and generosity. If this man really helped Ireland that much, think of how good this world could be if all CEO's decided to follow his lead.

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slainte9 | Jun 11, 2010, 11:22 AM EDT

The World's Greatest Irishman is a woman: Ana Patricia Botin O'Shea of the Santandar Bank family. I thought Feeney attended Cornell on the GI Bill and sold sandwiches to make spending money. Giving money to a rich Ivy League college that's always come up short on including Irish immigrants (the GI Bill isn't a Cornell scholarship program) isn't all that impressive. If he'd given $600 million to fund a prep school in Harlem that would be great.

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killowen | Jun 11, 2010, 09:42 AM EDT

Feeney is truly worthy of all the accolades that we may bestow. A number 1 human. Feeney and an Ireland that is complete has to be his legacy.

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figtirish | Jun 10, 2010, 04:42 PM EDT

what a load of nonsense.Wounded Knee Feeney speaks out for the under priveliged, those who have no voice in society. Why should he fund anti immigrant groups?

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WoundedKnee | Jun 10, 2010, 12:36 PM EDT

This man may be the richest Irishman, but he is certainly not the greatest. He pumps his money into organizations he favors in Ireland. That's the prerogative of rich man, but it's irresponsible. For example, he bankrolls immigrant advocacy groups which call for an even more Open Door policy for Ireland to let in even more than the extraordinaty 20% immigrant population it currently holds. If he wants a fair debate on Mass Immigration why doesn't he similarly bankroll groups who oppose it? We don't need foreign billionaires butting into our affairs.

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heybuldog69 | Jun 09, 2010, 11:37 PM EDT

It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark.

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spiritwindtoo | Jun 09, 2010, 10:57 PM EDT

IT IS ABOUT TIME :):) ♥

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