connect 2017 • 68 AROUND THE WORLD NEW YORK January, 2017 The Ireland Funds hosted a breakfast for Ireland’s Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys. The Minister was visiting New York to launch Creative Ireland, the Irish Gov- ernment’s Legacy Program for Ireland. It is a five-year initia- tive, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the center of public policy. Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Chairman Emeritus of The Ireland Funds America, welcomed Minister Humphreys. Kieran McLoughlin, Worldwide President and CEO of The Ireland Funds provided the Minster with an update on The Ireland Funds’ activities and progress over the last year. Those gathered discussed how philanthropy can support the arts and how the network of the Irish diaspora can help develop and deepen Irish artistic expression. It was agreed that the Minister and The Ireland Funds would stay connected on how to progress these opportunities. January, 2017 The Ireland Funds Women’s Group hosted award-winning Irish author Colm Tóibin and the Tony-Award- Winning Irish director Garry Hynes for an intimate conversa- tion in the offices of PWC, New York. Host Grainne McNamara welcomed guests to PWC and introduced Worldwide President and CEO of The Ireland Funds Kieran McLoughlin. He spoke of the importance of Irish arts to The Ireland Funds and the huge contribution Colm and Garry have made to the sector. Garry recounted the story of the Druid Theatre which she founded and where she is currently Artistic Director. She spoke about the risks she initially took directing the then-unknown play The Beauty Queen of Leenane. She later went on to become the first female Tony winner for directing that play and three out of its four actors went on to win Tony Awards. Colm then spoke of the importance of keeping things local sharing that when writing Brooklyn, he set it in his hometown of Enniscorthy. New York Leadership Forum Breakfast with Minister Humphreys New York Women’s Group Hosts An Evening with Colm Tóibín and Garry Hynes 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Min. Heather Humphreys 2 Guests with Min. Heather Humphreys 3 Tara McCabe, Min. Heather Humphreys, Consul General Barbara Jones Photos: Jim Higgins 1 Grainne McNamara, Garry Hynes 2 Colm Tóibin 3 Kieran McLoughlin, Colm Tóibin Photos: Jim Higgins