Hollywood Comes to Dublin: Irish Retain the Cup in the US-Ireland Alliance Golf Challenge

See photo gallery from the event

September 29, 2006—Hollywood came to Dublin Wednesday evening when the Guinness Storehouse served as the set for a dinner honoring the players in the US-Ireland Alliance Golf Challenge and welcoming the seventh class of George J. Mitchell Scholars.

The Alliance hosts an annual golf challenge to introduce American executives to Ireland. Playing on the US team this year were five Hollywood heavy hitters. Lou Pitt is one of Hollywood's most respected agents, having represented Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Lee, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, and Helen Hunt. He's just entered into a three-picture deal with the famed Weinstein brothers. Also teeing up were David Friendly who produced the current hit film Little Miss Sunshine, starring Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear; and David's brother Andy, who created Entertainment Tonight. (George Clooney played the real-life father of the Friendly brothers in Good Night and Good Luck). Peter Benedek is a founder and partner of the United Talent Agency, which represents Jim Carey, Harrison Ford, Ben Stiller and Johnny Depp. And UTA also brought The Sopranos and the CSI series to the small screen. And rounding out the Hollywood contingent was John Dellaverson, Lions Gate Films only in-house feature producer.

Minister Brian Cowen, US Ambassador James Kenny and US-Ireland Alliance founder and president Trina Vargo spoke to a crowd of nearly 160 that included Samantha Mumba, Naoise Barry of the Irish Film Board, Ed Guiney of Element Films, and PrimeTime host Mark Little, who features in a brief video about the Alliance produced by Moya Doherty and John McColgan's company.

Sponsors of the golf tournament were Anglo Irish Bank, Michael McNamara & Co., Transaction Network Services, Quinlan Private, and Alphyra and the Mark Ein Foundation.

Peter Butler of Anglo Irish Bank captained the Irish team and Jack McDonnell, founder of Transaction Network Services, captained the US team. Additional members of the American team included Ambassador Kenny; Tony Ridder, former Chairman & CEO of Knight Ridder, until its recent sell, the second largest newspaper chain in America; Palm CEO Ed Colligan; venture capitalists George Ein and Mark Ein; and Chicago builder Dan McCaffery.

Following the lead of the Europeans in the Ryder Cup the previous week, the Irish defeated the Americans but by less of a margin—one point. The Alliance Golf Challenge was held on the Ryder Cup golf course at the K Club. Members of the Irish team included: hurling star DJ Carey, builder Bernard McNamara, former Governor of the Bank of Ireland, Laurence Crowley; and Mary Ann O'Brien, CEO of Lily O'Briens; Betdaq CEO Brian O'Sullivan; Malakoff Ltd. Chairman John Morrissey; USIT CEO Aidan Coghlan, Mark Collins, Managing Director of TNS, Anglo's Director of North America, Tony Campbell; Alphyra CFO John Williamson; and Quinlan Private Business Development Manager, Laurence Flavin.

All photos credited to Patrick Bolger