4th Annual NUI Galway Gala Dinner in New York Honours Coca-Cola Executive

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

NUI Galway hosted its fourth annual Gala Dinner on 17 November at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. This year's honoree was Irial Finan, NUI Galway Class of 1977 and Executive Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company and President of Bottling Investments and Supply Chain The evening featured a special performance by internationally acclaimed singer Mary Black, who brought the sold-out crowd to their feet with hits like No Frontiers and Song for Ireland. Past honorees include actor Gabriel Byrne; Former US President Bill Clinton; philanthropist Loretta Brennan Glucksman and singer/songwriter Paul Brady. NUI Galway President Dr James J. Browne said, "This year's event was our most successful to date and attracted a capacity crowd from the United States as well as Ireland. We were pleased and proud to honour Irial Finan, a graduate who has achieved great success in his career, but has never forgotten the importance of giving back to the next generation of Galway students." Chief Executive of Galway University Foundation, Tom Joyce said, "In his capacity as a Director of the US Board of the Galway University Foundation, Irial has played an important role in promoting the global impact of NUI Galway's programmes and re-engaging US based Galway graduates in the life of the University." Proceeds from the Gala Dinner will support the expansion of NUI Galway's archives through the acquisition of new collections and the development of humanities programming for its newly built Arts, Humanities and Social Science Research Building.
ENDS

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