Award Recipients

Every summer, the Young Irish Fellowship Club gathers to recognize friends and supporters who have helped us throughout the year. 

Arthur Dunne Award

The Arthur Dunne Award acknowledges outstanding contributions to YIFC and the Irish community. Judge Arthur Dunne was a member of the Irish Fellowship Club (IFC) and was elected the liaison between the IFC and the newly-created YIFC in 1980. He was instrumental in getting YIFC started and his contribution to the YIFC is honored by this annual award. Typically the winner of the Arthur Dunne Award is a past YIFC or current or past IFC Board member. Most importantly, the recipient should be someone who has gone above and beyond to contribute to the YIFC.

2017 Tom Hurley

2016 Martin Healy

2015 Billy Lawless & Bill Gainer

2014 Eamon Vaughan

2013 Austin Kelly

2012 Judge Tom Allen

2011 Gene Calla­han

2010 John Daley, Sr.

2009 Daniel McLaugh­lin

2008 George Cahill

2007 Rose Doherty

2006 Jack Hart­man

2005 Chris Koz­icki

2004 Judge Mau­reen Con­nors

2002 Mary Gin Har­ring­ton Rabinek

2001 Kathy Taylor

Businessman of the Year

The Busi­ness­man of the Year Award

rec­og­nizes an indi­vid­ual who has gone above and beyond the typ­i­cal YIFC 

spon­sor. This recip­i­ent assists the Club in fol­low­ing its mis­sion: to explore the Irish cul­ture, net­work with other young pro­fes­sion­als in Chicago and most

impor­tantly, sup­port YIFC char­i­ties to achieve its fundrais­ing goals either through spon­sor­ship, finan­cial dona­tions or prod­uct donation.

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2017 Tom Dowd-Fado Irish Pub

2016 Peggy Dineen-Southwest Airlines

2015 John Wrenn

2014 Sarah Slater and Theresa Altgilbers-Jam USA

2013 John Engel-Chicago Beverage

2012 Sherry Courtney and Kristen Eschrich-MillerCoors

2011 The Kavanaugh Family

2010 Bob Trainor

2009 Vince and Anthony Divono-Bourbon Street

2008 Kevin Killerman

2007 David Cahill

2006 Michael Cullen

2005 Kevin and Eamon Vaughn

2002 Michael Rooney

2001 Peter O'Brien

Alumni of the Year

The Alumni of the Year Award is pre­sented to a for­mer board mem­ber of the Young Irish Fel­low­ship Club Board of Direc­tors who has served on the Board of Direc­tors in the past, and has con­tin­ued to con­sult the board, after their time serv­ing the board has ended. The award acknowl­edges the ded­i­ca­tion, ser­vice and sup­port the indi­vid­ual has shown to the Club.

2017 Colleen Tully

2016 Timothy Sullivan

2015 Timothy Sullivan

2014 Colleen Gannon

2013 Marty Joyce

2012 Meghan Lee
2011 Jackie Theodore, Brid­get Gilman