The William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas-Houston celebrated a milestone moment on Friday, Nov. 14, as friends and supporters gathered at the Houstonian Hotel to honor Founding Director Lori Gallagher J.D. in celebration of her retirement.
The gala, chaired by her husband and former UST Board Chairman Mr. Curtis Huff, paid tribute to Gallagher’s more than two decades of leadership and her extraordinary impact on Irish cultural education in Houston. Under her guidance, the Flynn Center has become one of the nation’s premier Irish Studies programs, enriching the community through academic excellence, cultural outreach and global engagement.
Approximately 250 guests joined in the celebration, raising more than $455,000 to support the Center’s programming, study abroad initiatives and student scholarships — an outpouring of generosity that reflects the profound influence of Gallagher’s work.
Mistress of Ceremonies Lisa Malosky, beloved Houston sports broadcaster and longtime friend of the Center, led the evening’s program. Dr. Martin Lockerd, the new Director of the Center for Irish Studies, opened the evening with a reflection on the Center’s founding and Gallagher’s enduring legacy. Guests enjoyed a performance by acclaimed Irish-American singer Cathie Ryan, whose music added a spirited and heartfelt backdrop to the celebration.
Bishop Brendan Cahill championed a lively paddles up appeal, raising more than $100,000 for the Lori M. Gallagher and Joseph C. Gallagher Study in Ireland Fund, making available an additional $50,000 gift. Combined with the $350,000 raised prior to the event, the fund exceeded its impressive $500,000 goal. Named for Gallagher and her older brother, whose passion for Ireland inspired her own, the fund will enable students pursuing an Irish Studies minor to spend a post-graduate year studying in Ireland.
Throughout the night, tributes highlighted Gallagher’s steadfast devotion to Irish Studies and her lifelong love of the Emerald Isle. UST Alumnus Drew Wilson ‘02 credited her vision for shaping a program that has not only elevated Irish culture in Houston but also transformed the lives of hundreds of students, including his own.
Guests were treated to a three-course dinner featuring a burrata salad with strawberries, baby arugula and parmesan croutons, followed by entrée selections of filet mignon with truffle potatoes and wild mushroom sauce and Chilean sea bass with tomato confit and lemon beurre blanc. The meal concluded with a decadent chocolate fudge and salted caramel crèmeux cake.
In keeping with tradition, the gala festivities included the beloved Irish coffee toast and the crowd-favorite wine and whiskey pull, adding a fun flourish to an already memorable evening.
The University of St. Thomas extends its deepest gratitude to Gallagher for her extraordinary leadership, enduring passion, and unwavering commitment to the Center she built and nurtured. Her legacy will continue to guide the Flynn Center as it enters its next chapter — one rooted in scholarship, cultural preservation and the celebration of all things Irish.
Special guests included the Hon. Robert Hull, Consul General of Ireland, from Austin; Rev. Harold Good, former president of the Methodist Church of Ireland and a key player in the Northern Ireland Peace Process from Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Bill Shaw, former Director/CEO of the 174 Trust, a peace and reconciliation center in Belfast.
About the William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies
Under Gallagher’s direction, the Center has awarded scholarships to students totaling more than $1.4 million since 2006. The Center also sponsors cultural events open to the public. These lectures, concerts and storytelling events highlight all aspects of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Irish America.
UST's William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies is listed among the top 10 Irish Studies programs in the country.
The University of St. Thomas named the Center in honor of William J. Flynn, former chairman of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company in New York, for his outstanding contributions to the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
The primary goals of the William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies are to preserve Irish heritage and culture, promote peace and reconciliation, and deepen the appreciation of the contributions of the Irish and Irish Americans worldwide.