A woman who had close links with the late entrepreneur and philanthropist John McShain – the man who built Washington and donated much of Killarney’s tourism jewels to the State – has penned a book that records the correspondence they exchanged.
Pictures: Valerie O’Sullivan
Alice O’Neill-McLoughlin was born the eldest of 11 children into an Irish farming family in Rosbercon, New Ross, County Wexford.
In 1978, she was awarded a scholarship from John McShain, the son of Derry emigrants who built many famous American landmarks including the Jefferson Memorial and the Pentagon.
Her book, More Precious than Gold, records the lifelong personal correspondence they exchanged afterwards and how highly she regarded the man who bequeathed Killarney House and Gardens, the Lakes of Killarney, Ross Castle and Innisfallen Island to the State.
In 2019, Alice had the honour of inducting John McShain into the Irish America Hall of Fame in her home town of New Ross in the presence of his relatives from Philadelphia and Derry.
She describes her book as a tale of altruism, gratitude, faith and of a life lived in the pursuit of excellence.
The publication was officially launched in Killarney House on Saturday by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan.
Alice also donated her treasured correspondence of letters from John McShain to the archive at Killarney House.
In attendance at the launch were members of the Ignatius A O’Shaughnessy family, who was founder of the Globe Oil and Refining Company and part of a consortium of wealthy American businessmen who were going to purchase the lakes of Killarney as a country club in the 1950s.
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