London-based developer Pat Doherty was honoured in his hometown of Buncrana in Co. Donegal on Friday night last when he was awarded the Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award for his consistent dedication to the successful development of business and the creation of employment.
“Pat’s success in business has been well documented” said Cllr. Nicholas Crossan of Donegal County Council “but what is remarkable about Pat is his desire to ensure that his success is Donegal’s success.
“In the last 10 years alone Pat has invested in some of the country’s most iconic businesses including the Donegal Lough Eske Castle and the Titanic Quarter in Belfast and currently employs over 500 people in Donegal alone, generating more than €100 million in the local economy”.
The Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Awards is hosted by Donegal County Council and pays tribute to Tip O’Neill honouring his family connection to Ireland and to Donegal. The awards celebrate and acknowledge those who have excelled in their chosen fields and who through their own generosity of spirit continue to champion and support the Irish diaspora.
Speaking of Pat’s success in business Tom O’Neill son of the late Tip O’Neill talked about how Pat worked for his Dad for 4 years in Donegal before he left to go to London where he began to make his fortune in development and said that “this is what diaspora is, don’t ever forget where it is you are from, don’t ever forget what God’s gift has given you so you take that gift and give back. And that is exactly what Pat Doherty did” explained Tom O’Neill.
“What he did to the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, what he has done in the last 10 years back here in Donegal, taking €100 million and investing it and employing hundreds of people doing nothing else but good”.
Other award recipients were Dublin based playwright and author Frank McGuinness, US based lawyer Patrick Dunican and US based businessman Daniel Hilferty.
Recipients of the Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award with Tom O’Neill (son of the late Tip O’Neill) and his wife Shelley O’Neill.
From left to right, US-based businessman Daniel Hilferty, Irish playwright and author Frank McGuinness, Tom and Shelley O’Neill, London-based developer Pat Doherty and US-based lawyer Patrick Dunican.