The 2013 Best of Ireland gala dinner is scheduled to take place on January 31 at the New York Athletic Club.  The event will honor individuals for excellence in five categories – sport, business, public service, philanthropy and arts. 

Global advisory firm Teneo and pro golfer Graeme McDowell will once again host the dinner in support of Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin. 

This year’s honorees include Bank of America senior executive Anne Finucane, Senator George Mitchell, Billie Jean King, Riverdance co-founders John McColgan and Moya Doherty, and the American Ireland Fund.

It is also believed that Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny, golf pro McDowell and Irish Senator Eamonn Coghlan will attend on the evening along with co-anchor of CBS This Morning Norah O’Donnell who will serve as emcee. 

Last year’s successful inaugural event raised significant funds towards helping rebuild the hospital’s cardiac ward and to funding pediatric research. The dinner will now become an annual event hosted in partnership between Teneo, the global advisory firm co-founded by former U.S. economic envoy to Northern Ireland Declan Kelly, and McDowell’s Gmac Foundation, with all proceeds going to the children’s hospital.  The American Ireland Fund has also played a key role in helping to support the event.