What a night at Raffles London!
The Co-operation Ireland Dinner was full of energy, connection, powerful storytelling… and plenty of dancing!
Hosted by the wonderful Colin Barkley, the night brought together voices from across the island, each speaking to the importance of building relationships and investing in the next generation.
Sir Julian King opened our evening’s conversations, sharing reflections on Co-operation Ireland’s mission and our impact over the years. He was followed by H.E. Martin Fraser, Ambassador of Ireland to the UK, who offered warm words of support and solidarity.
Our Dinner Co-Chairs Grainne Fahy and James Stewart introduced our two Future Leaders Programme alumni, Katie Lynas and Aaron Smith. Hearing their stories, firsthand was heartfelt and hopeful experience for everyone in the room, showing just how powerful our programme can be when it reaches young people at the right time. We are so proud of how incredibly bright the future is for Katie and Aaron.
The final part of the night featured a special conversation between our host and Blue Lights creator, Declan Lawn and star, Sian Brooke. With humour and insight, they shared what it’s been like bringing a story rooted in Belfast to screens across the world.
The evening wrapped up with a game of Heads or Tails, a raffle draw, a live auction, and dancing into the early hours. Incredible auction lots and a huge range of fabulous raffle prizes ensured that the event added significantly to the charity’s efforts to support Co-operation Ireland’s flagship Future Leaders Programme which aims to create a thousand Future Leaders over the next five years and empower the next generation of young leaders and peace builders, equipping them with the skills, confidence and networks to become advocates for positive change in their own communities and develop positive relationships on and between Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Special thanks to all our guests and speakers who made the night, a night to remember!
Co-Chairs of the Dinner:
James Stewart (Penningstons Manches Cooper)
Grainne Fahy (Keystone Law)
Vice-Chair of the Dinner:
Jer O’Mahoney (Killik & Co)
Chair Emerita:
Mary Heaney (Global Legal Post)
About Co-operation Ireland:
For over 45 years, Co-operation Ireland has been a leader in fostering societal cohesion, working across all three strands of the Good Friday Agreement. The charity’s efforts are rooted in mutual respect and dialogue, bringing together communities to work collaboratively on a wide range of programs. Central to their mission is youth engagement, offering young people opportunities to interact across cultural and community divides and build lasting, positive relationships.
One of their flagship initiatives, the Co-operation Ireland Future Leaders Programme, aims to empower the next generation of peacebuilders and leaders. The program has set an ambitious goal of creating 1,000 Future Leaders by the end of 2025, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and networks necessary for effective community development and cross-border cooperation.
Testimonials from past guests:
John McElroy, Fieldfisher: “Another fabulous evening – thanks to you all for the hard work in putting it together”
Grainne Melon, Barrister: “Another brilliant dinner last night- it was exceptional and one of the best yet”
Ivor Banim, William Fry LLP: “What a fantastic evening and success. We were delighted to be involved this year and would welcome the opportunity to be involved again next year in a similar capacity.
Caroline McLaughlin, Morgan Stanley: “It was such an AMAZING evening! Seriously, everything was fabulous… probably the best dinner ever at a function like that… atmosphere, vibe, music, speeches were great”
Emma Samms, Actress and star of Dynasty: “Such a brilliant evening, huge congratulations to all involved.”
The Co-operation Ireland Dinner at Raffles London at the OWO is an event not to be missed—an unforgettable night of celebration, connection, and charitable giving, all in support of creating a more cohesive, peaceful society across Ireland and the UK.