Northern Ireland

John Cullinane book of recollections highlights crucial role of US influence in the peace process

Noel Doran, Frank Costello, John Cullinane and the late chairman of The Irish News Jim Fitzpatrick. Picture by Hugh Russell
Noel Doran, Frank Costello, John Cullinane and the late chairman of The Irish News Jim Fitzpatrick. Picture by Hugh Russell Noel Doran, Frank Costello, John Cullinane and the late chairman of The Irish News Jim Fitzpatrick. Picture by Hugh Russell

A NEW book by an Irish-American businessman with strong ties to the north highlights the crucial role of US investment and political influence in the peace process.

Stories Along the Way by software entrepreneur John Cullinane charts the eventful life of the Massachusetts-born billionaire, whose parents were native Irish speakers from Co Waterford.

Named last year by Irish America magazine as one of the '100 Most Influential Irish Americans', the 88-year-old founded the Cullinane Corporation in 1968, a hugely successful tech firm, and later the Cullinane Group.

Mr Cullinane, whose book includes recollections of golfing with Bill Clinton and Arnold Palmer, among others, first developed business and personal links with the Republic via Forbairt, a forerunner of Enterprise Ireland. However, in the 1990s he helped attract much-needed US investment north of the border.

Hosting an event for Gerry Adams on his first visit to Boston in1994 – (l-r) Vicki Kennedy, John Cullinane, Gerry Adams, Diddy Cullinane and Senator Edward Kennedy. Picture courtesy of the Cullinane Archive
Hosting an event for Gerry Adams on his first visit to Boston in1994 – (l-r) Vicki Kennedy, John Cullinane, Gerry Adams, Diddy Cullinane and Senator Edward Kennedy. Picture courtesy of the Cullinane Archive Hosting an event for Gerry Adams on his first visit to Boston in1994 – (l-r) Vicki Kennedy, John Cullinane, Gerry Adams, Diddy Cullinane and Senator Edward Kennedy. Picture courtesy of the Cullinane Archive

"I never expected to be in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in my life," he writes in the book. "That all changed when I received a call from Frank Costello last one afternoon."

Belfast-based Mr Costello, a former chief of staff for Congressman Joe Kennedy, was looking to attract investment to his adopted city. It was a conversation that ultimately led to Liberty Mutual creating hundreds of jobs in Belfast.

He recalls his first visit to Belfast as part of a trade mission: "... a city with nothing new in 30 years". He stayed at the Europa Hotel, where he was woken in the middle of night by a "big explosion".

"Strangely in the morning, no-one seemed to know anything about it or even heard it," he writes. "Frank said that's the way it was."

During his visit, Mr Cullinane also visited west Belfast's Meánscoil Irish language school – now Coláiste Feirste, which led him to provide funding for the school through the Ireland Fund.

He notes how the school has since grown into a "first class facility with 700 pupils".

"It's still hard to believe that my donation would lead to all this," he writes.

The self-authored book also includes a section of Gerry Adams, who the author recalls "liked us because he said so to an aide in Gaelic".

The former Sinn Féin president attended a jobs promotion event in Belfast at which Mr Cullinane was present, leaving him a "personal note".

"This was significant because the IRA had a history of blowing up jobs. Maybe, change was in the air."

:: Stories Along the Way – The Recollections of John Cullinane is published by Omni Publishing Company.