David McCourt recognized for services to Ireland at Tip O'Neill Diaspora Awards 2024

DUBLIN, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Irish American entrepreneur David McCourt has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to Ireland and the global Irish community at this year's prestigious Tip O'Neill Diaspora Awards, which took place in Donegal last Friday.

Initiated in 2012 as a means of commemorating the centenary of the birth of the late Tip O'Neill, the awards seek to recognize those who have excelled in their chosen field whilst honoring their contribution to Ireland at home and overseas.

Announcing the awardees for 2024, Chairman of the Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award Committee, Mr Nicholas Crossan, said: "We are honored to award David McCourt for his outstanding contributions to Ireland at this year's event. While he has become well known for his work spearheading the rollout of the National Broadband Plan as the founder of NBI, David is also a committed and passionate advocate for Ireland on the global stage. His vision for Ireland is ambitious and inspiring, and he consistently demonstrates the leadership to ensure Ireland grasps new opportunities."  

As the founder and Chairman of Granahan McCourt Capital and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, David has been one of the most prominent investors and entrepreneurs in the technology, media and telecommunications industries for the past 30 years. In this time, he has founded or bought more than 25 companies in nine countries and was described by The Economist as possessing "impeccable credentials as a telecom revolutionary".

Earlier this year, McCourt was also named an Adjunct Full Professor at University College Dublin to support the school's global leadership ambitions in Artificial Intelligence (AI). He continues to initiate ways for Ireland to have a more prominent voice on this transformational technology, and this Summer hosted a series of AI events at Dalkey Book Festival to bring together some of the world's most influential figures in AI which will be shown in McCourt's upcoming documentary exploring the "AI health and wealth of nations".

Commenting on the award, McCourt said: "Firstly, I'm truly honored to be receiving this award. Tip O'Neill was not only an incredibly talented and celebrated politician, but he was also one of the last great compromisers. As a young man, I had the pleasure to work in Tip's office, and when he'd pass my desk, I would ask "How did we get on today, Mr Speaker?", to which he would reply, "Good, Dave. We got half". He set an incredible example to others about the art of compromise, which is an attribute sorely needed back in our political discourse."

As the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, David is currently working in partnership with the Irish Government in the largest Public Private Partnership in European telecoms to deliver Ireland's National Broadband Plan. Globally, this is the single largest investment ever in telecoms infrastructure by Government intervention and is widely regarded as the world's most ambitious broadband rollout to revitalize rural communities.

Ossian Smyth, TD, the Minister of State with responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy has said: "As a result of the National Broadband Plan, Ireland is now a global leader in digital connectivity and is on target to reach the European Commission's target of gigabit broadband for all by 2030."

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