The recipients of the Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Awards 2025 have been announced.
Vincent Keaveny, Danny Hutton, Eileen Mulligan, and Seán Donaghey will be honoured at the awards ceremony on Friday, 17th October at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel, Buncrana.
The event commemorates the legacy of Tip O’Neill, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, whose maternal grandparents hailed from Donegal.
Alderman Vincent Keaveny, a son of a Donegal man, made history as the first Irish-born Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2021/22. A distinguished lawyer and civic leader, he has been a powerful advocate for inclusion, sustainable finance, and the Irish Diaspora. In 2023, he was awarded a CBE for his services to socio-economic diversity.
Meanwhile, Danny Hutton was born in Buncrana and is best known as a founding member and lead vocalist of the American rock band Three Dog Night. The band achieved significant success in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Eileen and Seán Donaghey are originally from Rashenny, Ballyliffin, and Cockhill, and have spent the past 34 years in Sydney, where they’ve become beloved pillars of the Irish community. Through their award-winning restaurant, Mulligans, they offered not just food but belonging, supporting generations of emigrants, promoting Irish culture, and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes across Ireland and Australia.
Cathoairleach of Donegal County Council, Councillor Paul Canning says this year’s Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Awards recipients reflect the very best of what it means to be Irish.
