FOREWORD

Loretta Brennan Glucksman

In 1984, Lew and I began our great Irish adventure with our first trip from New York to Ireland. We landed in Shannon and were driven to Adare where we stayed at the Dunraven Arms. Seàn Donlon, the Irish Ambassador to Washington and a valued friend, had a dinner party for us at his home in Killaloe. It was a magical evening and truly set the foundation for so many wonderful events that would form our next decades in Ireland. Ed Walsh, president of UL, was there of course and invited Lew to come to campus the next day and speak to a class in the Business School. The rest, as they say, is history.

Lew knew Chuck Feeney through business, but there was a shared goal when they realised the amazing extent of possibilities to develop with UL. This of course was music to Ed’s ears. They proceeded to structure and to strengthen the UL Foundation (ULF), to direct the significant amount of funds they intended to raise for several new projects. We soon met Gerry Boland, an astute fiscal and political professional who worked closely with J.P. McManus, who also later became a cherished friend. We would come to rely greatly on his generous and savvy view on local and national issues. Another early friend and counsellor was Dan Tierney, a successful businessman who was also intent on fulfilling the huge potential of UL on a fast track. I have great memories of terrific executive sessions of the ULF board across the street at the Castletroy Park Hotel.

As our interest and exposure to UL increased and we met further interesting and convivial people, we began looking for a house in the area. Again through UL, we met Gordon Holmes, a respected local attorney, who became our wise counsellor and dear friend. So many other people we met remain our friends today, including notably Michael Houlihan and Eamonn Cregan whose lovely families we saw grow and prosper.

Gordon managed our purchase of Ballyneale, a beautiful old Georgian home on the Newcastle West Road, just half an hour from UL. That was our wonderful base through seven happy years in Limerick, until the call of the sea and his beloved boat once again summoned Lew and we moved to East Cork. Gordon was managing partner of the law firm, Holmes O’Malley Sexton. With the elegant synchronicity that blessed all our time in Limerick, Harry Fehily, current head of that firm, would take over as Chair of the UL Foundation. Harry is now my valued link to the important working of the board, especially as we have been so restricted in travel for the past few years. Jim McCarron was a friend and, indeed, physician to both Chuck and Lew, and he joined the board also. Jim and Maureen became essential elements of the ongoing work, triumphs and great fun we all had at UL.

Chuck and Lew and several more of the early enthusiasts were keen to expand student residence capacity on campus and quietly set about purchasing large blocks of property on both sides of the Shannon. I have wonderful memories of the redoubtable John O’Connor negotiating with the good nuns on the Clare side of the river. A personal treasured UL experience was the building of Brennan Court Guest Accommodation. My father, William Brennan, was a wise and kind man who had six years of schooling and was also one of the most successful people in my life. Lew’s naming of that essential building for my dad is one of the most glorious gifts he could ever have given me. The magnificent Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, state-of-the-art academic and residential buildings, and the beautiful symbolic link of the Living Bridge all pay homage to the diligence and generosity of the dedicated people who would not give up.

Chuck had been working on building a world-class concert hall on campus to bring international artists to Limerick and help showcase the brilliant musicians that were being drawn to Limerick by another UL genius, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin. The University Concert Hall attracts audiences from all over Ireland. It is also an architectural gem that is the perfect counterpoint to our beloved Plassey House.

In the beginning, there would be a great, convivial dinner in the dining room at Plassey following the board meetings. The food and wine were lovely, but the conversation was spectacular. Although Chuck and Lew loved the fun, neither was a late-night guy. So, they developed a system to recognise who could graciously (very relative term) leave the party first. On learning the next day who got out first, the winner had to send the guy who stayed a new tie. Lew had quite a collection of beautiful ties sent with compliments by Chuck.

Lew believed that the library was the beating heart of any centre of learning, and he loved the library at UL. But he had hopes of expanding its footprint and adding the burgeoning technology increasingly available. The stunning edifice on the UL campus is just beyond his greatest dreams. It was a long way from his first initiative at the library when he asked to add a space where students could read current newspapers and magazines in order that they were learning within a context of up-to-the-minute facts and opinion. It was an innovation in the training programme he had introduced at his beloved Lehman Brothers, where he spent most of his very fulfilling career on Wall Street.

I am humbled and elated to introduce this book of Dreams, to celebrate all the accomplishments that UL has wrought, and to dedicate ourselves to carrying on helping the leaders and the students of UL into their continuing glorious future.