The Fordham Gaelic Society invites you to a screening of the award winning documentary, “How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story”.
Taking place at 7.00pm on March 8th 2023 in Freeman Hall, Room 103, at Fordham University, this powerful feature film celebrates the unsullied hard work and dedication of the Project Children Charity and one of its founding members, Denis Mulcahy, a retired and highly decorated NYPD Bomb Squad Officer.
Narrated by Liam Neeson and directed by Des Henderson, the film documents the pursuit of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, through the medium of its children. Offering over 24,000 children a six-week summer reprieve from the intrinsic, sectarian violence of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, this extraordinary tale resonates to all that is good in this world.
In today's era of both a shared and integrated society, this may not seem unusual but in the segregated communities of the seventies and eighties, this was a monumental brave step towards healing and was ultimately instrumental in helping our world leaders forge the pathway for peace in Northern Ireland.
Please join us for a meet 'n greet with Denis starting from 6:00pm that night, and a short Q+A will follow the screening.
Denis Mulcahy's Awards and Achievements
Denis Mulcahy has received many accolades for his vigorous work in assisting the peace process in Northern Ireland and was twice nominated for the very prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for all his work for the children of Northern Ireland and was runner up to the First President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa respectively.
In 1995, Denis received the Top Cop Award in Washington D.C. by Vice President Al Gore and later that year, Denis accompanied President Clinton on his historic trip to Northern Ireland.
In 2016, Denis received the title of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II. In 2017 he also received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad, presented to him personally by the President of Ireland Michael J. Higgins.
In 2018, he also received a presentation on behalf of the Washington Ireland Program from the Irish Taoiseach, Leo Vradakar. Taoiseach Vradakar was one of the first participants from the south of Ireland on the Washington Ireland Program.
This same year the Mulcahy Scholarship was founded by the Aisling Irish Community Center, Yonkers, NY. The scholarship is an opportunity for American high school students to attend summer camps in Ireland with the aim of experiencing and connecting to Irish culture and heritage. It is a fitting tribute to the Mulcahy family, who for forty years provided temporary respite to the children of Northern Ireland and to Denis who has been a devoted board member to the Aisling Center since 1996.
Despite these many recognitions, Denis' proudest achievement still remains to be his work with Project Children in helping the many children across Northern Ireland take their first steps toward peace and reconiliation.
Tickets and Event Registration
Tickets are $5 per person and all proceeds will go to Project Children.
Seats must be registered in advance by using the Eventbrite link - https://fordhamgaelicsociety.eventbrite.com
Visit www.projectchildren.org for more information on the charity.
We look forward to seeing you all on the night.
