US brothers honour Galway roots with outdoor classroom in Clonbur
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BILL Mulrow has spent much of his life at the highest levels of finance and public service in New York, but when he returned to Clonbur this month it wasn't to celebrate his own achievements.
He came back to his ancestral village to honour the two people he says made everything possible - his parents, Michael and Ellen Mulrow.
The couple first met at Scoil Náisiúnta An Fhairche - Clonbur National School - in the 1920s and last week, their son Bill dedicated a new outdoor classroom and plaque in their honour.
His father, Michael died in 1978 at the age of 63, while his mother, Ellen, lived to be 96 years old.
"My parents were extraordinary," he said. "I always wanted to honour them. "It had been on my mind for a long time. I wanted to fund something that might be helpful.
“It dawned on me that the right thing to do would be to create a tribute to my parents for the next generation of Irish school children in Clonbur, to do something at the school."
The idea for an outdoor classroom came after discussions with the Principal and the Board of Management.
“They had always wanted to have an outdoor classroom and I said, 'I'm all in.'
"That was their concept. I had the resources. I simply helped make it happen. From there, we worked with architects and construction teams, and finally got it up and running. It helps to expand the school and gives them an outdoor space.”
The dedication ceremony on June 17 brought together family, friends and the wider Clonbur community.
"I am still glowing from such a great day,” he said.
“I have been working with the school for over a year and a half, trying to get the outdoor classroom concept built and made a reality.
“We had the nicest day. All of the children in the school sang three songs - two in Irish and one in English. We cut the ribbon and took pictures. We had a huge crowd from the village. It was well attended and everyone had a wonderful time.”
There could be a Taoiseach in the village or someone who comes to America and does something extraordinary.
Bill credits his parents’ work ethic and pride in their Irish heritage with shaping his career and outlook.
After emigrating to New York in the 1950s, his father worked as a machinist and his mother as a waitress.
Together, they raised three sons – John, Michael and Bill - in the Bronx and Bill describes how the family was firmly rooted in “hard work, faith, education, union support, and strong Irish values”.
“I am the youngest of three boys,” he says. “I grew up in the Bronx. It was a very Irish borough in the 1950s. Even the Mayor was Irish.
“I have lived in New York all of my life, except for college.”
As a boy from the Bronx, he went on to build a distinguished career, spending four decades in finance. He is a former partner at Blackstone, one of the world's leading investment firms, and former Secretary to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
He attended the prestigious Ivy League universities of Yale and Harvard, an opportunity he describes as “unusual” for someone of his background.
“I was the only kid at the school of 5,000 who was a BIC - Bronx Irish and Catholic,” he explains. “It was unusual for someone with a BIC background to go to Yale and Harvard. I thrived at both of those schools. I was a good student and a good athlete. I had that opportunity.
“I had two incredible parents. I credit them for always believing in the importance of education.
“They were ahead of their time. They only had a sixth-grade education and they wanted their children to get the best education possible.”
Bill says he has been “blessed” with a great career and was inspired by his parents to “always give back”.
“Blackstone is a great firm and I always had a desire to give back,” he explains. “I got that from my emigrant parents. I became involved in public affairs, in politics and government and I am incredibly thankful for what my parents afforded me. I have had a great career in the private and public sectors.”
Bill was accompanied on the trip to Clonbur by his oldest brother, John, who is a cardiologist in San Antonio, Texas, and his nephew Seán. His wife Teddy, which is short for Edwina, was also by his side as the ribbon was cut on the new outdoor space.
They met on a blind date in Manhattan in 1982 and married in 1988. Together they have three children, Kelly, Jennifer and Jack.
“It all started in this small school in Clonbur,” he says. “The rest is history. “My parents were part of the family that took advantage of the Land Commission offer in 1940 to go to Allenstown in Co Meath. From there, my father's brother and sister were in New York and it made the transition a little easier for them.
“Our parents had the bravery and dedication to make that move. My brothers and I had access to all the education and professional possibilities that it afforded us.”
Standing overlooking Lough Mask with his uncle John after his father's death, Bill recalls asking how his family could ever have left such a beautiful place.
“My uncle said to me 'you can't eat the scenery' - it was a tough life that they had to live,” he explains.
“I am incredibly thankful for what my parents afforded me. They came here. They raised us with these incredibly great values. They put me on a very good path.
“I saw what being emigrants in America meant. I always wanted to help other people.”
Through his donation, Bill wanted to celebrate the ties between Ireland and its diaspora and the contributions of immigrant families whose sacrifices shaped generations of Irish-American success.
He accepts that emigration to the US is “more difficult now” but says the “Irish are always welcome in New York and America”.
“The Irish have made an incredible imprint on America,” he says.
“There is a strong Irish community in New York - a proud and good community of Irish citizens throughout the state.
“Over the course of time, they have become leaders in business, politics, and government. The Irish are incredibly important.”
Now at the age of 70, he says he still “feels like 40” and continues to work with Blackstone while remaining heavily involved in public affairs in New York.
“I am semi-retired,” he says. “I continue to work in both the public and private sectors and serve on a few corporate boards.”
During our conversation, I discover he is staying at The Lodge at Ashford Castle – which also has personal significance for him.
“My grandfather on my mother's side, Patrick Ging, worked on the grounds of Ashford castle,” he says.
For Bill, his parents emigration to the Bronx has come full circle as he pays tribute to them with the donation of the new outdoor learning space in the school where they first met almost a century ago, featuring a commemorative plaque in their honour.
“It is an investment and a belief in the next generation of Irish people who could become future leaders,” he says.
“That's why it meant so much to me. There could be a Taoiseach in the village or someone who comes to America and does something extraordinary.”