Billionaire who gave away his fortune is laid to rest in Dublin

Helga Feeney, wife of ‘Chuck’ Feeney, and his son Patrick Feeney, carrying his ashes. Picture: Naoise Culhane

President Michael D Higgins was among the mourners at the funeral of Irish-American philanthropist Chuck Feeney, known as the billionaire who gave away his fortune.

Mr Feeney, who died aged 92 at his home in San Francisco in October, was known for giving more than €1.8bn to a host of different good causes in Ireland, championing the idea of "giving while living" among the super rich.

Following the funeral ceremony at Glasnevin Chapel, his son Patrick carried his father’s ashes to a grave, in keeping with the philanthropist's wishes that his final resting place should be in Ireland.

Family friends Mark Patrick Hederman of Glenstal Abbey and Professor Helen Phelan of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick officiated at the ceremony in Glasnevin Cemetery Chapel.

Helga Feeney, second left, wife of Charles ‘Chuck’ Feeney, with family at the funeral of the philanthropist. Picture: Naoise Culhane 

Mr Feeney was particularly associated with the University of Limerick, where he sometimes lived in a student apartment and could be seen picking litter on the university's entrance avenue, now known as Feeney Way. 

President Higgins met with the late Mr Feeney's widow Helga and Mr Feeney's five children, Juliette, Caroleen, Leslie, Diane, and Patrick.

Reflections during the ceremony were provided by Mr Feeney's children, granddaughter Annabelle, and cousin Tommy Fitzpatrick.

"Knowing Chuck as we do, he would not want this farewell to be a mournful or a dreary occasion," Mark Patrick Hederman told those in attendance.

Prof Phelan spoke about the late philanthropist's support, which made possible the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.

Helga Feeney greets President Michael D Higgins at the private funeral ceremony at Glasnevin Cemetery.  Picture: Naoise Culhane

Mr Feeney's legendary generosity was spread across Ireland.

Through the  Atlantic Philanthropies, which he established in 1982, he provided grant aid worth $181.5m (€168.64m) to the University of Limerick Foundation; $162.1m to the Trinity Foundation; $128.2m to Dublin City University Education Trust; $91.2m to Cork University Foundation; and $79.5m to Galway University Foundation.

In all, Mr Feeney is believed to have given more than 6,000 grants and donations worth an estimated $8bn to various causes across the world.

The New Jersey native was a co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers Group, a luxury travel retailer in Hong Kong.

Chuck Feeney's support made possible the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL, said Prof Helen Phelan.

He transferred his 38.75% ownership stake in the retailer to thAtlantic Philanthropies in 1984, beginning a philanthropy drive that would see gifts in areas such as health, education, and social causes across the world, in countries such as Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Vietnam, and Bermuda, as well as his native US.

Forbes Magazine once referred to Mr Feeney as the "James Bond of philanthropy" in a profile in 2012.

"Over the last 30 years he's crisscrossed the globe conducting a clandestine operation to give away a $7.5bn fortune," it read.

"Few living people have given away more, and no one at his wealth level has ever given their fortune away so completely during their lifetime. While the business world's titans obsess over piling up as many riches as possible, Feeney is working double time to die broke."