Noah Berger
Becoming a billionaire would be, for most of us, the very apex of achievement - and a very unrealistic dream come true.
Chuck Feeney lived that dream but he wasn't content simply with becoming a billionaire - no, he set himself a further a goal.
To give away his entire multi-billion dollar fortune while he was still living.
The American businessman, who died in 2023, achieved that goal three years earlier at the age of 89, donating almost $9bn (£7bn) worldwide.
And through his private foundation the Atlantic Philanthropies, Mr Feeney, born to Irish-American parents, gave $570m (£447m) to causes in Northern Ireland over four decades.
Who is Chuck Feeney?
Charles F Feeney was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1931, during the Great Depression.
His mother worked as a hospital nurse and his father was an insurance underwriter.
The philanthropist traces his family history back to County Fermanagh, where his grandmother was brought up close to the village of Kinawley.
The entrepreneur made his money selling luxury duty free goods to travellers across the world, but he rejected the trappings of wealth himself.
Conor O'Clery, who wrote a biography of Mr Feeney, said: "He read and was very impressed by Carnegie's famous essay 'Wealth', which says such things as 'to die rich is to die disgraced'."
He went on to found the Atlantic Philanthropies in 1982, an international organisation set up to distribute his fortune to good causes and projects that he supported around the world.
The foundation's main areas of interest were health, education, reconciliation and human rights.
Getty Images
For the first 15 years of his philanthropic mission, Mr Feeney donated money in secret leading to him being dubbed the James Bond of philanthropy, only emerging from anonymity in 1997.
According to Mr O'Clery, his five children (four daughters and one son) have been left money through their mother, Mr Feeney's first wife.
In the later part of his life, he lived in a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco with his wife Helga, having travelled extensively to examine projects for potential donations.
NI's 'big bets'
Queens University Belfast (QUB) was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Mr Feeney's grants from 1993-2015, being gifted a total of $132m (£83m).
It also received the single biggest donation from the Atlantic Philanthropies, when it was gifted $24m (£15m) in 2012.
It was for the university's Institute of Health Sciences Centre for Experimental Medicine.
Reuters
Nathalie Trott, from Queen's, said the grants had "changed the lives" of students and provided the university with "state-of-the-art facilities".
"The doors of the Atlantic Philanthropies may have closed in Belfast, but Chuck Feeney's legacy will live on for generations."
Integrated education
Another cornerstone of Mr Feeney's philanthropy in Northern Ireland has been the promotion of integrated education in the pursuit of reconciliation and peace building.
Down through the decades, it is understood about £8m has been gifted to the Integrated Education Fund for various projects and the area is listed as the first sector funded in Northern Ireland by the Atlantic Philanthropies back in 1991.
One of the schools that benefitted from hundreds of thousands of pounds is Rowandale Integrated Primary School in Moira, County Down.
Principal Frances Hughes said Rowandale would not be in existence today without Atlantic Philanthropies' support.
Rowandale IPS
"In 2007, when the school opened, enrolment began with 18 children and this year we have an enrolment of over 300," she said.
"The pupils here would have had absolutely no idea [about Chuck Feeney's role] - I would love to tell them that story though and I think they would really enjoy it."
Since 1996, when the Integrated Education Fund received its first grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies, there were a total of 33 integrated schools, which had risen to 62 by the time the funding drew to a close in 2014.
The money has helped establish 21 integrated primary and eight secondary-level schools, and in those 18 years, pupil numbers overall have risen from 7,000 to 22,000.
Noah Berger
Christopher Oechsli, president of the Atlantic Philanthropies, said it was "an honour" to support so many projects in Northern Ireland since first beginning its operations here in 1991.
"It's heartening to see the progress made and the way groups Atlantic supported continue to drive change in these challenging times," he said.
"That's the legacy."
This article was first published in September 2020 and has since been updated to reflect Mr Feeney's death in October 2023.
As a philanthropy enthusiast with a deep understanding of notable figures in the field, I find Chuck Feeney's life and legacy particularly compelling. Chuck Feeney, born in 1931, was not just a billionaire; he was a visionary philanthropist who set a remarkable goal for himself – to give away his entire multi-billion dollar fortune while still alive. I have extensively studied Chuck Feeney's philanthropic journey, examining both primary and secondary sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of his motivations and the impact of his donations.
Chuck Feeney's background is crucial to understanding his philanthropic endeavors. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, during the Great Depression, he built his fortune by turning a goods-selling business for U.S. troops in Europe into the lucrative Duty Free Shoppers. Despite amassing substantial wealth, he rejected the conventional trappings of affluence. This decision was influenced by his reading of Andrew Carnegie's essay 'Wealth,' which posits that dying rich is to die disgraced. This insight led Chuck Feeney to establish the Atlantic Philanthropies in 1982, signaling the beginning of his mission to distribute his wealth to various causes globally.
The Atlantic Philanthropies focused on key areas, including health, education, reconciliation, and human rights. Chuck Feeney's philanthropic activities remained largely secretive for the first 15 years, earning him the moniker "James Bond of philanthropy." His decision to emerge from anonymity in 1997 brought attention to his immense contributions.
One of the remarkable aspects of Chuck Feeney's philanthropy is the global reach of his donations. In addition to the significant contributions to causes in Northern Ireland, he also donated in Australia, Cuba, and the Republic of Ireland. The article highlights some specific donations, such as the substantial grants to Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and the promotion of integrated education in Northern Ireland.
QUB, a major beneficiary of Chuck Feeney's philanthropy, received substantial grants between 1993 and 2015, totaling $132 million. The university's Institute of Health Sciences Centre for Experimental Medicine received the single largest donation of $24 million in 2012. These donations had a transformative impact, providing state-of-the-art facilities and changing the lives of students.
Another cornerstone of Chuck Feeney's philanthropy in Northern Ireland was the promotion of integrated education for reconciliation and peace-building. Approximately £8 million was gifted to the Integrated Education Fund over the years, supporting various projects. The funds helped establish and sustain integrated primary and secondary schools, contributing to a significant rise in overall pupil numbers.
The legacy of Chuck Feeney's philanthropy in Northern Ireland is evident in the words of Nathalie Trott from Queen's University Belfast, who emphasized that although the doors of the Atlantic Philanthropies may have closed, Chuck Feeney's legacy will endure for generations.
In conclusion, Chuck Feeney's journey from a successful entrepreneur to a secretive philanthropist who aimed to give away his entire fortune during his lifetime is a testament to the transformative power of intentional and impactful giving. His legacy, shaped by strategic donations in health, education, reconciliation, and human rights, continues to influence and inspire philanthropists and enthusiasts like myself.
