Photo: Brad Balfour
Preview by Brad Balfour
The Irish Business Organization of New York (IBO) will bestow the 2025 Sean McNeill Award at its Annual Summer Party on Monday, June 23, 2025, starting at 6 pm at Tara Mór, 150 W 30th Street, Manhattan.
Tara Mór is the bridge between today’s Ireland and NYC, offering elevated cocktails, inventive food, and a stylish vibe that redefines Irish culture. Whether you’re grabbing drinks before MSG or celebrating life’s moments, Tara Mór is where Ireland comes alive and is the ultimate destination for a forward-looking Irish experience.
Guests can look forward to an evening filled with delicious food and drink in The Mezzanine, live music by Murphy’s Lawyer, and a silent auction featuring exciting items and experiences.
This year’s event celebrates the Consul General of Ireland in New York, Helena Nolan, and Deputy Consul General Gareth Hargadon, as they complete their service in New York and embark on their next assignments.
Both Nolan and Hargadon will be honored with the Sean McNeill Award in recognition for their extraordinary generosity, commitment to community, and unwavering dedication to diversity and inclusion — hallmarks of the late Sean McNeill’s legacy.
Named for the late Sean McNeill — a three-term IBO President whose legacy of generosity, community-building, and inclusion lives on — the Award recognizes individuals who inspire positive values and embody the IBO’s mission to “Network, Communicate, Reciprocate.” First presented in 2019, past honorees include Siobhán Dennehy, Paul Finnegan, Ted Smyth, Turlough McConnell, Tami Ellen McLaughlin, and Hilary Beirne.
Said current IBO President Janet Walsh, “Helena and Gareth have been remarkable ambassadors of the Irish spirit in New York. Their thoughtful, energetic leadership has inspired and enriched our community, forging deep and lasting bonds.”
Both conclude their roles at the Consulate General of Ireland this August. After that, Nolan will take up her new post as Ambassador to Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania, while Hargadon will return to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin.
Born in Kilkenny, Ireland, Nolan took up duty as Consul General of Ireland in New York on August 26th, 2021. Previously, she held a number of roles at home and overseas, most recently serving as Ireland’s Ambassador to Belgium and the Partnership for Peace Liaison Office (2017-2021). Prior to her appointment to this role, she served as Director for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in the Department’s headquarters in Dublin and was a regular visitor to the UN here in New York. Nolan has also served in London, Armagh, Kuala Lumpur and Dar Es Salaam, as well as working in the Departments of Education and Enterprise and the Office of Science and Technology.
Experienced diplomat and government official, Hargadon has had a history of working in government administration. Skilled in negotiation, analytics, event management, and international relations, he’s currently serving as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Ireland in New York. He handles Irish interests, promoting the country, engaging with Irish American communities and supporting Irish citizens in New York as well as New Jersey and Connecticut.
The Irish Business Organization of New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nondenominational, and nonpartisan association that seeks to promote, foster, and advance the business interests of Irish and Irish American people. Founded in 1973, the IBO of NY has created vibrant networks across the tri-state area and globally, supporting, guiding, and enlightening waves of Irish and Irish American business leaders.
Attendees must register in advance at ibonewyork.org/event-6203805.
For more info in general go to: ibonewyork.org