Philanthropy Ireland Podcast

Rural communities across Ireland are facing a quiet crisis as young talent migrates to major cities, leaving behind a void of energy and economic stagnation. This drain of vitality threatens the very fabric of local towns, resulting in vacant shops and a loss of the communal spirit that once defined these regions.
The solution lies in leveraging entrepreneurial expertise and resources to build modern, sustainable industries that encourage the next generation to stay, work, and play locally. This episode explores how innovation hubs, collaborative funding, and mentorship can revitalise a county by creating future-proof jobs and vibrant social spaces.
Our guest is Ed Murphy, a serial entrepreneur and community philanthropist who successfully scaled and exited major franchise businesses like Home Instead and Snap Print & Design. With decades of experience in business building, he now focuses his energy on pro bono leadership and strategic investment in County Wexford’s economic and social future.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Combatting talent drain in rural Ireland
Establishing Green Tech HQ innovation hub
Mentoring local businesses to scale jobs
Collaborating with Rethink Ireland for impact
Defining the concept of "having enough"
GUEST DETAILS
Ed Murphy is a serial entrepreneur and the current President of the County Wexford Chamber of Commerce. After a successful career building and scaling major franchises including Home Instead, Snap Print & Design, and CEX, he transitioned into full-time philanthropy and community activism. 
His main skills lie in business scaling, strategic mentoring, and fostering innovation within the green energy and sustainability sectors.
Connect with Ed:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-murphy-038822189/
Company: https://www.greentechhq.com/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking to learn more about the power of strategic giving and effecting real change? Visit https://www.philanthropy.ie/ to learn more.
The Philanthropy Ireland Podcast is produced by DustPod.io.
QUOTES
"If someone ends up doing philanthropy, probably it's always been part of their nature." – Ed Murphy
"I think often... people are not pulled aside and told, by the way, you probably have enough." – Ed Murphy
"The biggest risk in life is not taking a risk at all." – Ed Murphy
KEYWORDS
#RuralRegeneration #SocialImpact #SustainableEnterprise #CommunityPhilanthropy #WexfordBusiness

The move from successful family business to structured family giving presents unique challenges for continuity and strategy across generations. For the Quinn family, the sale of the Superquinn supermarket group created a new imperative to formalise their deep-rooted tradition of community support into a sustainable philanthropic model. This journey required a shift from local, sporadic donations to a targeted, investment-led approach focusing on long-term impact.
This episode explores the evolution of the Quinn Family Foundation, discussing how to establish core focus areas, the necessity of professional administration, and the vital process of engaging successive generations in decision-making and project evaluation. The conversation uncovers how their business-led ethos informs their giving and the importance of seeing charitable work live on the ground.
Joining us is Eamonn Quinn, a highly experienced retail marketeer, board member, and investor in retail technology. Eamonn is a Trustee of the Quinn Family Foundation, providing a candid look into the mechanics of multi-generational, high-impact family philanthropy in Ireland.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Early charity work embedded in Superquinn
Establishing three core pillars of giving
Managing large, multi-generational family trust
The necessity of engaging and seeing impact
Practical advice for starting a family trust
GUEST DETAILS
Eamonn Quinn is a Trustee of the Quinn Family Foundation. He is a highly experienced retail marketeer, an investor in retail-orientated technology companies, and was the former Deputy Chairman of the Superquinn Supermarket Group. Eamonn brings a keen business sensibility to measuring the effectiveness and impact of the Foundation's philanthropic ventures.
Connect with Eamonn:
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/eamonndquinn
Company: kelsius.com
MORE INFORMATION
Looking to learn more about the power of strategic giving and effecting real change? Visit https://www.philanthropy.ie/ to learn more.
The Philanthropy Ireland Podcast is produced by DustPod.io.
QUOTES
In the early days, my father would have been very anti spending money on administration, because we know it should all go to the charity, but you really find that you do have to spend some money to get the best value for what you're doing - Eamonn Quinn
We ended up really with, I suppose, three pillars in terms of what we want to do. So the first one was income generation for the very poor. Originally, that was Africa. ... And then I suppose entrepreneurship. I suppose social entrepreneurship is more so, and enough access to education... - Eamonn Quinn 
We also try and do multi annual donations. So just giving somebody a check year one and nothing the next year isn't a great idea. So we try to do it for at minimum two to three years at least. - Eamonn Quinn 
KEYWORDS
Philanthropy Ireland, Quinn Family Foundation, Fergal Quinn, social entrepreneurship, income generation, education access, family collaboration, multi-generational trust, impact measurement, community support

Are young people in your community struggling to build resilience and find their direction after the disruption of recent years? Many secondary school students today face unprecedented challenges - from educational gaps to mental health concerns - leaving parents, educators, and community leaders searching for effective ways to support the next generation's development.
Imagine a community where every young person has access to the tools, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive. Picture teenagers who are not only academically supported but also equipped with life skills, resilience, and a sense of purpose - young people who understand their potential to make a positive impact and are empowered to become the changemakers and philanthropists of tomorrow.
Louise McElvaney and Sean McDaid, co-founders of the 5Ten Trust in Donegal, have created exactly this kind of transformative community program. Louise brings extensive HR expertise in organizational development, while Sean leverages deep community connections built over years of local engagement. 
Together, they've developed innovative approaches including peer tutoring, targeted workshops, and their groundbreaking "Pay It Forward" initiative that's turning young people into active contributors to their communities - even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Why a global pandemic became the unexpected opportunity to transform youth mental health support in one Irish community
How two friends turned mutual respect into a powerful formula for launching successful community initiatives
The "Pay It Forward" strategy that transforms teenage bursary recipients into active community changemakers
Real examples: How former students are now running social media campaigns and funding community gardens
The proven framework for building resilience and life skills that you can adapt for your own community's young people
GUEST DETAILS
In 2020 we Co-founded 5Ten Trust, a charity set up to help young people further their education and development ambitions, by enabling them to remove barriers. 
The trust sponsors numerous education initiatives with education providers to develop resilience and address mental health challenges among children and young people in the North or Ireland.
QUOTES
We're trying to influence them to pay it forward, for a better word of the future, with their time, talent and perhaps funding. - Louise McElvaney
For the children, It's about giving them the confidence that they are enough, that they are capable of anything that they set their mind to. - Louise McElvaney
if we can change someone's life early on, and instill in them the power that small changes can make in their lives, hopefully it has long, lasting and huge consequences for the community.– Sean McDaid
We touch on hundreds of kids to help build resilience, to help them with life skills, to help them with what they're going to do next. – Louise McElvanery
If you're wanting to help children deal with anxiety, resilience and build them into better people, you have to start somewhere. So just just start small.. – Sean McDaid

KEYWORDS
#Philanthropy Ireland, #5Ten Trust, #bursaries, #mental health, #secondary school children, #Donegal

When Ed Dunne sold Nua Healthcare after 20+ years building it into a successful social care business, he didn't just write checks to charities he got into the weeds. 
The Síol Foundation (meaning "seed") provides business models teaching organizations self-sufficiency, like Sensational Kids charging half-price for therapy services instead of giving everything free, becoming sustainable from day one without needing donations. 
From Moldova institutional care reform to co-founding Dídean challenging direct provision by housing migrant children in communities (not hotels) with 70-year-old toilet cleaners at music festivals to proactive young fathers needing support, Ed's ADHD-driven passion focuses on karma, seeing people behind problems, raising four children to recognise others' struggles, and believing money without structure often fails while €10,000 teaching self-sufficiency beats €100,000 creating dependency—all while avoiding charity registration burdens by working through Community Foundation Ireland's donor-advised structure.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Gaisce President's Award sparked lifelong commitment to community development volunteering
Síol Foundation provides seed capital teaching organizations self-sufficiency over dependency
Sensational Kids became sustainable charging half-price rather than free services
Dídean challenges direct provision system humanely supporting migrant children families
Mountrath Bridgerdean Convent transformed into self-sustaining community hub gym workspace

GUEST DETAILS
Ed Dunne is a philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and successful businessman whose giving journey began through Gaisce (the President's Award) as a young person. 

After founding and building Nua Healthcare into a successful social care business over 20+ years (fully exiting in 2020), Ed established the Síol Foundation (Irish for "seed") to provide seed capital and business models helping organizations become self-sufficient rather than donation-dependent. 

His hands-on approach has supported projects ranging from €500 to over €1 million—from Sensational Kids (half-price therapy services sustainable from day one) to Moldova's institutional care reform, the Tala Fund supporting his hometown, and transforming Mountrath's Bridgerdean Convent into a €1 million self-sustaining community hub. 

In 2019, he co-founded Dídean (Irish for "shelter"), challenging Ireland's direct provision system by housing migrant children and families in community settings across four counties with social care support, achieving high integration rates. 

Working through Community Foundation Ireland's donor-advised structure, Ed deploys personal and family funds based on passion rather than distant check-writing, believing in karma, teaching self-sufficiency over dependency, and raising his four children to see people's struggles regardless of status—exemplified by his festival moment watching a 70-year-old toilet cleaner and wanting his legacy to be children who actually see people.
CONNECT WITH ED: 
Síol Foundation through Community Foundation Ireland
Dídean: Supporting migrant children and families
Mountrath Bridgerdean Convent community project

MORE INFORMATION
Looking to learn more about the power of strategic giving and effecting real change? Visit https://www.philanthropy.ie/ to learn more.
The Philanthropy Ireland Podcast is produced by DustPod.io.
QUOTES
That's where you'd have people saying, Look well, no, I'm sure look bad. Leave us alone. Go away. Just write a check. And that's not what I do. - Ed Dunne
I don't particularly like donating at a distance. I don't like just giving people money and then off they go. Money isn't always the answer in projects. It doesn't always fix things. - Ed Dunne
We sponsored all of the salaries for the year, but from day one, they were able to build those services out to people at half price. They never needed a penny to fund their salaries because the order book on the clinical services was just full. - Ed Dunne
Whatever everybody thinks a migrant is, a 19 year old boy from a particular place coming over here to take jobs—on the most part, a significant number of these people are children and children with complex needs.. If you ask any Irish person, do you think it's okay for a child to grow up in a hotel all their life, they will go, No, - Ed Dunne

KEYWORDS
#SocialEntrepreneurship #StrategicGiving #SelfSufficiency #DirectProvisionReform #CommunityDevelopment

In this episode, Vincent Wall speaks with Maeve Cavanagh, CEO of the Tomar Trust, about the remarkable philanthropic journey started by her late father, Tom Cavanagh. Maeve shares how the Trust was built on a simple vision of “levelling the playing field” in education, rural communities, integration, and the arts — and why Tomar’s funding was always intended to be the “icing on the cake,” complementing rather than replacing other supports.
As the Trust approaches its planned sunset in 2026/27, Maeve reflects on its impact, from transformative school initiatives to creative arts projects that changed young lives. She also offers candid insights on family dynamics, the challenges of governance, and the evolving culture of philanthropy in Ireland. Above all, Maeve emphasises that real legacy is found not in buildings, but in people — and in the opportunities philanthropy makes possible.
 
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
 The origins of the Tomar Trust and Tom Cavanagh’s vision of “levelling the playing field”
 Why the Trust always aimed to be the “icing on the cake,” not a replacement for other funding
 How family dynamics shaped Maeve’s path to chairing the Trust
 The four pillars of Tomar’s giving: education, rural communities, integration, and the arts
 What it means for a trust to enter “sunset mode” and plan its wind-down
 Memorable stories of impact, from school workshops to creative arts initiatives
 The challenges of governance, compliance, and balancing risk in philanthropy
 Why Maeve believes true legacy is about people, not buildings
 
GUEST DETAILS
 
The Tomar Trust is a philanthropic trust that aims to contribute to strengthening Irish society over 10 years 2016-2026. Established in 1994 the Tomar Trust has been supporting community and voluntary activity in rural Ireland, particularly North Cork, West Waterford, Clare and Donegal and disadvantaged communities in Cork City. The Trust aims to deepen its commitment to rural Ireland, to the building of strong communities and resilient young people, and aims to address some of the big issues facing Ireland today and investing in the solutions to solve them.
MORE INFORMATION

Looking to learn more about the power of strategic giving and effecting real change? Visit https://www.philanthropy.ie/ to learn more.
The Philanthropy Ireland Podcast is produced by DustPod.io.
 
QUOTES
We’ve always said there’s no room in philanthropy for any bit of ego. Everybody has to play their part. – Maeve Cavanagh
Tomar was never about replacing funding — we were always the icing on the cake. – Maeve Cavanagh
It’s often the projects where we’ve given the least amount of money that have had the most benefit. – Maeve Cavanagh
Real legacy isn’t in buildings — it’s in people, and in the opportunities they’re given. – Maeve Cavanagh
Never underestimate the impact you will have. Philanthropy enables transformation, and it does achieve that. – Maeve Cavanagh