by Hazel Hennessy

Ireland has always been known for its generosity. Whether its neighbours looking out for each other, communities rallying around a local cause, or donors supporting national appeals, giving runs deep in our culture. But behind every act of giving is a story of personal motivation, family values, or a desire to spark change.

That’s the idea behind our new Philanthropy Ireland Podcast, which brings these stories to life. In the first two episodes, we meet James Murphy and Dr. Declan “Dec” Ryan, two people with different backgrounds but a shared belief in using what they have to make a difference. Their journeys show just how diverse, and inspiring, philanthropy in Ireland can be.

Personal Vision Meets Structured Giving

For James Murphy, the turning point came in 2017 when he sold his business for €150 million. Rather than keeping it all, he and his wife Maria set up Lifes2Good Foundation. “That was far too much money for me, personally, to have and to keep and to invest,” James recalls.

The foundation’s first focus was on women and children in vulnerable situations. One of its proudest achievements was supporting the University of Galway’s Consent Programme, which is now mandatory for all third-level students. “Every student that goes into third level education has to go through the consent program… it is just such an incredible success,” James says.

What stands out is how he applies his business skills to giving: clear plans, measurable outcomes, and strong governance. But family is at the heart of it too. His children are heavily involved in shaping the future direction of the Foundation. As James puts it, “It’s more important to do good with what we have and show by example to the next generation.”

Bold, Venture-Style Impact

Declan Ryan’s story is different, but no less powerful. Best known as a co-founder of Ryanair, Ryan set up The One Foundation in 2004 with a very specific approach: give strategically, spend down fully, and make a big impact in a set period of time. Over a decade, the foundation invested more than €85 million in areas like youth mental health, immigrant integration, and social leadership.

Ryan explains his motivation simply: “When Ryanair floated, it just made me realise how much cash we had… I just knew my family didn’t need that much.”

Inspired by the late Chuck Feeney, he took a venture philanthropy approach by applying business discipline and risk-taking to social causes. The One Foundation’s support for Jigsaw (formerly Headstrong) helped build a nationwide youth mental health service. “Sometimes you have to have a go,” Ryan reflects. “Jigsaw is now hugely successful, nearly part of the HSE.”

He also speaks passionately about immigration and inclusion: “The Irish were so well taken care of abroad, and then when it comes back to our little square patch, we forget. It wasn’t that long ago it was ‘no dogs, no Irish.’”

The Bigger Picture: Generosity in Ireland

These individual stories sit within a broader context: Ireland as a nation of givers. Research shows Ireland consistently ranks among the most generous countries in the world. Nine out of ten people here take part in some form of giving every year, from donating money to volunteering time or goods.

In fact, Ireland was recently named the most generous country in the world on GoFundMe, with almost €50 million raised in just one year. And the World Giving Index places Ireland in the global top 10 for charitable giving.

Furthering these findings, recent research launched by the Charities Regulator shows that trust in charities remains high, with almost 9 in 10 people donating money or goods, or giving their time, in the past year. Women are slightly more likely to donate than men, and younger generations are increasingly giving through online and peer-to-peer platforms, as evidenced by the GoFundMe report.

But this research coupled with the anecdotal stories from our new podcast also highlights a key distinction: while charity and philanthropy are connected, they are not the same.

Charity is often about immediate relief — supporting a neighbour’s fundraiser, donating to a crisis appeal, or contributing to a local club. It’s deeply personal and reactive, and in Ireland, it’s second nature.

Philanthropy, by contrast, takes a longer view. It’s about structuring resources, mainly money and often time and expertise, to create systemic change. Philanthropy asks: how do we not only meet the need financially, but reduce or eliminate this need over the long term?

This is where stories like Murphy’s and Ryan’s shine. James Murphy built a structured foundation to tackle issues like consent and education over the long term, while involving his family in shaping the legacy. Declan Ryan applied a “venture capital” mindset to social challenges, funding growth and scaling solutions until government or other funders could take them on.

Both models go beyond responding to need in the moment. They ask: how can we strengthen systems, empower organisations, and leave lasting impact?

Lessons from the Frontline of Giving

Listening to Murphy and Ryan, a few themes stand out:

• Giving looks different for everyone. For Murphy, it’s about family legacy and structured foundations. For Ryan, it was bold, time-bound giving to spark systemic change.

• Business skills matter. From due diligence to leadership development, both applied what they learned in business to make their giving more effective.

• Heart leads the way. Whether tackling consent education, youth mental health, or inclusion for migrants, the driving force is compassion.

Looking Ahead

As Ireland’s philanthropic culture continues to grow, there’s huge potential to build on this generosity. Research points to a growing appetite for collaboration between funders, smarter use of data, and the importance of strong governance. The new National Policy on Philanthropy is another welcome step in creating an environment where giving can flourish.

But perhaps the most important takeaway is that philanthropy doesn’t belong only to the wealthy or high-profile. As these podcasts show, it’s about asking: what do I have, and how can I use it to make a difference?

As Declan Ryan says, “The easiest measure of success is when they don’t need us anymore.”

Final Word

The Philanthropy Ireland Podcast will share a new conversation every month. Together with our research and insights, it’s another way of showcasing the many faces of generosity in Ireland.

Keep an eye on our LinkedIn page for updates, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We hope these stories spark ideas, start conversations, and most of all, inspire action. Because in the end, philanthropy is simply about people helping people. And that’s something Ireland has always done best.