Five-Year Mitchell Scholar Reunion Held in Dublin

May 22, 2006

May 18-20, more than 60 George J. Mitchell Scholarship alums met in Dublin to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the program, which was launched in 2000 by the US-Ireland Alliance. The few days were sponsored by the US Department of State and CRH.

Trina Vargo, President of the Alliance, welcomed guests to the Guinness Storehouse on Thursday evening. Alliance benefactor, Derek Quinlan, introduced Tanaiste Mary Harney who gave the keynote address and joined Mr. Quinlan in presenting the graduating 2006 Scholars with their class rings, a gift from Cross Atlantic Capital Partners.

The nearly 200 in attendance included President Bush's Special Envoy for the Peace Process, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss; US Consul General in Belfast Dean Pittman; Abbey Director Fiach MacConghail; Laurence Crowley; Sir George and Lady Quigley;

Irish Film Board Chairman James Morris; entrepreneur and philanthropist John Morrissey; Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Brendan Tuohy; several university presidents and officials; former GAA President Sean Kelly; and several industry leaders including Aengus McClean, Managing of AOL and Michael Loftus of Becton Dickinson.

Mary Lou Hartman was introduced as the new Director of the Mitchell Scholarship program and Dubliner Paul Hayes, as the new representative of the US-Ireland Alliance in Dublin.

On Friday the more than sixty Scholars met with young Irish and Northern Ireland leaders, in what was described as one of the rare times such a group has come together, to discuss major issues and areas of shared interest and how they could work together. These sessions involving culture, politics, business, science and medicine, were led by by Eugene Downes, Advisor to the Board of Culture Ireland; Trinity Professor Ivana Bacik; RTE Primetime host Mark Little; SDLP Advisor Brian Barrington; Dr. Mark Keane, Director of the Information and Communications Technology Directorate of Science Foundation Ireland; Dr. Tim O'Brien, Chairman of Medicine at NUI Galway; economist Danny McCoy and CRH executive Jack Golden. US Ambassador James Kenny and Mrs. Kenny hosted a dinner at their residence for the group.

Ms. Vargo noted in her remarks that "the fact that most of the alums had returned was evidence of their affection for this island and the positive memories of their time spent here." A program from the event, with the bios of the young leaders from the US and the island, are a veritable who's who of the future of the US-Ireland relationship. It also included a letter from Senator Mitchell who was unable to attend but has met every class of the Scholars that bear his name.