Irish charity chief sparks US walkout

[emad]

September 11, 2005


Richard Oakley and Dearbhail McDonald



TWO members of the American board of Goal, the humanitarian agency, have walked out in protest at outspoken criticism by the charity’s director of Irish government plans to give €1m in aid to New Orleans.

Niall O’Dowd, the founder of Irish America Magazine and the Irish Voice newspaper, handed in his notice of resignation last week. Declan Kelly, a highly influential Irish American businessman, is also understood to have stepped down from the American board.


Sources close to O’Dowd confirmed he had left the organisation, but said he did not want to comment on the matter. Neither Kelly nor John O’Shea, the charity’s director, could be reached.

“Niall has the greatest respect for Goal and he doesn’t want to exacerbate tensions any further. He has therefore decided not to make any comment,” said a family friend.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1774816,00.html

[Spiffarino]

1. Boy Scouts to the Somme?

:wtf:

This guy O'Shea doesn't seem to understand public relations very well. How'd he ever get that job?

[CountAllVotes]

2. O'Shea is a total loathsome uncaring freak

<< In an outspoken interview last week, O’Shea dismissed moves to send Irish troops to the American city as “ludicrous” and argued that the country did not need Irish money because it was “awash with millionaires”.
--- snip ---

<<< He criticised a government decision to pledge €1m to the victims of the hurricane and said Ireland “may as well have have collected funds for Bill Gates”. “It’s one of the most disgusting things if the minister gives this money,” he said.

Dermot Ahern, the foreign minister, confirmed that the Irish Republic would also provide aid through the European Union. O’Shea said that, while the government’s move was well intentioned, the United States was awash with billionaires. “They do not need our money,” he told RTE’s Morning Ireland. >>>

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Yep that is right O'Shea you freak, everyone in America is either a millionaire or a billionaire (which is it btw?). It seems to me that YOU Mr. O'Shea don't know the difference between poverty and being rich do you?

As the history of Ireland quickly slips from the memories of the Irish people, poverty is a forgotten reality, a reality that exists en mass here in America sadly but goes unreported and unacknowledged thanks to the press, both foreign and domestic. :grr:

And yes, the need in New Orleans is REAL ok! Have you seen the pictures MR. O'SHEA or are you too chickenshit to look? :grr:

This makes the Irish charity head look not only disgusting but causes me to conclude the following:

Now that Ireland is so "well off" (awash with millionaires eh Mr. O'Shea), they do not need America to give to their charities and send money to families living in Ireland that have been living off of American money ever since the days of the Great Famine.

To bad Mr. O'Shea that you have forgotten about what a great friend America has been to Ireland for so many years. Poor PR at BEST and it is also dumping your "friends" that apparently you never liked IMO! Thanks a lot you loathsome freak named O'Shea, thanks a lot for nothing! THIS IRISH AMERICAN will not forget your cruel words Mr. O'Shea and neither will many other Irish Americans living here and IN IRELAND and there happen to be 40,000,000 of us here in America that are Irish Americans and there were a great populace living in New Orleans btw! How is that for caring for your "own"? :grr:

THOSE THAT FORGET THE PAST ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT-- George Santayana