Chuck Feeney of Atlantic Philanthropies

'This is very sad news for all involved in third and fourth level education on the island of Ireland, including our Academy members. Chuck Feeney played a pivotal role in enhancing educational and research facilities / infrastructure in the late 1990s / early 2000s through his involvement as the‘private donor’component of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). This programme transformed the research landscape with new buildings, laboratories, equipment as well as funding for PhDs, postdoctoral fellows and faculty. It helped to forge intra- and inter-institutional research collaborations and to develop critical mass across a breadth of areas in STEM and AHSS. The total amount of investment in education and community activities included $1.3 billion donated to projects in the Republic and $570 million to projects in Northern Ireland. A staggering amount of money and a lasting legacy. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam'.