US gala dinners increase fund

Charging attendees $100,000 for a table at its gala dinners helped one of Ireland’s best known charities increase its revenues from fundraising by 34% last year to $15.1m (€11.3m).

The US-based American Ireland Fund has raised $480m for Irish causes since 1976 and its 2013 annual accounts show that its spend under ‘grant awards’ to various recipients last year increased by 46% from $13.71m to $20m.

The fund’s gross revenues last year topped $27m — its second best outcome on record.