The Irish Cultural Centre Presents the Brian J. Donnelly Award to Former Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole

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Kathleen O'Toole

Kathleen O’Toole, the first female commissioner of the Boston Police Department and an internationally recognized leader in law enforcement, is being honored by The Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston (ICC) with the 2nd Annual Brian J. Donnelly Award for Leadership in Public Service.  

The award ceremony takes place September 19 at the Omni Parker House in Boston. Purchase tickets here. 

Born in Pittsfield, MA, O'Toole has had an illustrious career working in law enforcement. In addition to her ground-breaking role in 2004 as the first female Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, O'Toole also served as Lieutenant Colonel of Massachusetts State Police and as the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety.

In addition, O’Toole was a member of the Independent Commission on Policing during the Peace Process in Northern Ireland.   From 2006-12, she served as Chief Inspector of An Garda Síochána Inspectorate, an oversight body advising the Minister of Justice.  After returning from Ireland, O’Toole spent several years as Chief of the Seattle Police Department. More recently, she chaired the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

The ICC's prestigious award, now in its second year, is named for Brian J. Donnelly,  former United States Congressman and former United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago,  who passed away in February 2023 and was known for a strong commitment to public service. Brian is highly regarded for the instrumental role he played in creating the Donnelly Visa, a program which helped many emigrate to the U.S. from Ireland. 

The ICC presented its first annual Brian J. Donnelly Award for Leadership in Public Service in 2023 to the President and CEO of the New England Council and former-Massachusetts Representative, James T. Brett.

O’Toole has a long association with the Irish Cultural Centre, having served previously on the ICC Board of Directors. She is a current board member of the Irish American Partnership and the University of Limerick Foundation Board. 

In a joint statement, ICC Executive Director Jerry McDermott and Chair of ICC Board of Directors Martina Curtin said, “We are incredibly honored to present Kathleen O’Toole with the 2024 Brian J. Donnelly Award for Public Service. Kathleen’s tireless dedication to public service epitomizes the values of Brian J. Donnelly’s life and work. Her contributions to policing and her commitment to the Irish community have made a lasting impact both locally and internationally, and we look forward to celebrating her achievements at this year’s event.”

“I am deeply honored to receive the 2024 Brian J. Donnelly Award for Public Service from the Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston,” said O’Toole. “Brian Donnelly’s legacy of service and his efforts to strengthen the ties between Ireland and the United States continue to inspire me. Throughout my career, I have been committed to serving communities and fostering positive change. To be recognized by the ICC for my work is deeply meaningful, and I look forward to continuing to support the mission of the ICC."

Proceeds from the Brian J. Donnelly Award for Leadership in Public Service help support the ICC’s mission of promoting and preserving Irish culture and heritage. A portion of funds raised from the event supports the ICC’s hiring of a J-1 visa intern from Ireland each summer, as homage to Brian J. Donnelly’s work with the Donnelly Visa.

Event details are available here or on the Irish Cultural Centre’s website, irishculture.org.

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