3. Philanthropic & Adventure

 

Kilcullen have taken an unusual approach in our 3rd Pillar.  Rather than straight financial support, which we have also given, we have become engaged on a personal basis and where we can add value.

 

Atlantic Youth Trust.

 

Here Kilcullen have brought together a core group of business people, organizations, professional youth  groups and skilled people to form the Atlantic Youth Trust.

 

This is youth-development charity which is developing plans for a 45 metre tallship for the island of Ireland. We plan to connect Ireland North-South and East-West through maritime activities, promoting tourism, enterprise, diaspora connectivity and education.  

 

It started as reference group, bringing together maritime interests from all over Ireland and abroad. Detailed views were harvested, a global study was undertaken and a plan was agreed.  This is to create a World Class youth organization and a 25 year vision.

 

Led by Kilcullen, a seed-fund has been put in place, an executive recruited and the project is winning broad support bring a broad range of interest groups, individuals, organizations and funders together.

 

Haiti

 

While a tough ask to save the World,  Kilcullen decided to focus on one of the poorest countries in the world - whose people have had a tough deal of the cards.  In this respect we are focusing one country and have joined other individuals and charities.

 

Our focus is now Haiti in the Caribbean. While the country clearly needs charity, in particular following the devestating  earthquake, most of all the country needed people to do things. The old adage is as true as ever. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, give him a means to fish and you feed him for a lifetime".

 

Over-run by aid-agencies, little co-ordination and a lack of social infrastrucure and meeting places, Kilcullen decided to support the Irish Village Project. This involved converting an old school complex into an Irish Village. The property was abandoned after the earthquake with the school children going to countryside, in Petionville, Port Au Prince.

 

This abandoned building is now a social entrepreneurship project of offices, shops, a restaurant and an Irish Pub! Over 100 were employed on the construction, local skills were employed and now over 30 people work there.  

 

Kilcullen were proud to partner with Conchur de Barra who owns several Irish enterprises in Brussels, including The Michael Collins and Eamon DeValera's. The Haiti pub, called the Irish Embassy, is proving a valuable home-away-from home for expats, and a valuable meeting place for Haitians and foreigners to meet, co-ordinate, exchange ideas and build a community.  Any profits from the enterprise are being reinvested in Haiti’s future.

 

Irish Pubs Global

 

Almost everywhere you go in the World you will find an Irish Pub. Indeed there are more Irish Pubs outside Ireland than in Ireland - yet Ireland had done little to connect them together. Now, Irish Pubs Global seeks to do just this - marrying Enterprise, Tourism, Irish Abroad and Irish Food and Drinks products for this sector.

 

They are the front-line of Ireland, and a diverse fascinating group of enterprises. Very individualistic, it is this that adds their personality. Individually its a cottage group. Globally together its an industry. Bizare as it may seem, Japan boasts over 50 Irish Pubs - yet they have little connection with Ireland because Ireland has never reached out to them.

 

In response to this need, Kilcullen formed Irish Pubs Global, an association of the owners and managers of irish pubs around the world. The organization has run several conferences, events and built a strong network, primarily on a voluntary basis, supported by a small core team.

 

The most recent was a very successful GATHERING in September 2013 and the support of Alltech in developing the craft brewing and distilling industries in Ireland. The Gathering will be repeated again in November 2014. Also following a research project, funded by Kilcullen and led by a team from the Smurfit Business School, a clear global brand plan has been developed for the future.

Developed and supported by Kilcullen, the Association is being structured as the Irish Pubs Global Trust. Trustees come from Chapters around the world and then the association’s running is outsourced to the Mediateam, professional publishers and event managers.