TRIBUTES have been paid to Irish-American philanthropist Chuck Feeney who has passed away in San Francisco, aged 92.
During his lifetime Mr Feeney, who made his fortune by masterminding duty-free shopping, donated $8billion to community and conflict resolution projects in countries such as Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam. His organisation, the Atlantic Philanthropies closed down in 2020 having given away all of its money. DERELICT: St Comgall's had fallen into ruin before being purchased by Chuck Feeney
Mr Feeney had a lifelong interest in Ireland and traced his ancestry to Co Fermanagh and as a result became deeply interested in trying to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
In West Belfast, tributes were paid to Chuck Feeney by Gerry McConville of Falls Community Council. Chuck Feeney purchased the former St Comgall's Primary School on Divis Street and helped with the initial development of the building. The building opened last year as a major community facility. PEACE: Bill Flynn of Mutual of America Insurance (left), Philanthropist Chuck Feeney (centre) and Martin McGuinness (right) at Sinn Féin's Connolly House in July 1997
Gerry said: “We were very saddened to learn of the death of Chuck Feeney and would like to pass on our condolences to all of his family and friends.
“Chuck originally gave us the money to be able to purchase the building, for the initial start up. Without Chuck there wouldn’t have been any St Comgall's.
Gerry said they had been able to show Chuck some pictures of the finished St Comgall's before his death and would be naming their conference room in his honour.
“We were recently in contact with Chuck through a third party to let him know the building had been built. We had heard he wasn’t well but he was delighted to hear the building had been restored and we were able to send him some photographs showing it finished.
“We had been talking for a few months about naming our conference room, where we host discussions and seminars on conflict resolution and peace building after Chuck and we had reached out to his family for permission. We will be calling the room Seomra Chuck Feeney.
“I had one idea that never changed in my mind—that you should use your wealth to help people."
Chuck Feeney https://t.co/CAdAaX4tDn
— Mandy McAuley (@mandy_mcauley) October 9, 2023
Gerry continued: “He gave away billions in his lifetime to projects all over Ireland, into financing universities and conflict resolution. He funded a lot of peace-building activities in the North and he had a keen personal interest in conflict resolution and peace building. He had a personal interest in the conflict here and in doing what he could to try and bring about a peaceful resolution.
“When you look at St Comgall's and in terms of West Belfast, St Comgall's is a very large part of his legacy here. £7.3million has now gone into St Comgall's and none of that would have happened without Chuck being convinced of the merit of buying the building in the first place and having the confidence in Falls Community Council to be able to see the project through.”
