President's Message: Happy St. Patrick's Day from Beacon Consulting Group
Happy St. Patrick's Day! As the son of Irish immigrants, St. Patrick's Day has special meaning for me. It's as much about the American Dream as it is about Irish Culture & Heritage. My three siblings and I have been especially lucky to have been raised by parents who instilled in us the importance of education, hard work, never giving up, and treating other people with the kindness and respect. Thanks to the sacrifices of our Irish immigrant parents, my siblings and I have truly been able to live the American Dream. Beacon’s team of professionals with backgrounds from Ireland, China, Burma, England, Italy, Germany, Scotland, (to name a few), embrace these values in their work and personal lives each and every day to pursue the best life has to offer.
Growing up, I had the great pleasure of visiting with my relatives in Ireland many times in County Kerry (a beautiful area in the Southwest of Ireland). If you have not been to Ireland, it's a great destination to visit after the pandemic. The countryside is diverse, rugged, and has many spectacular sites. There are many great things to do on vacation, such as visiting historic castles and ancient sites, touring wonderful cities such as Dublin and Galway (among others), and visiting quaint and unspoiled countryside towns. Ireland also has great restaurants, lots of outdoor activities like golf and hiking, and some of the best pubs and live music you'll find anywhere in the world. However, it's the people themselves who are a main part of the attraction. Irish people are generally very friendly, funny, and warm hearted. They typically love a good joke, telling stories, singing and playing music, and generally looking at life with a little bit of a sparkle (and maybe some mischief) in their eyes. They are a persistent people who have overcome a lot of difficult times in their history, which has probably helped to forge the Irish character.
In the past year, I feel like things have come full circle for the O'Neill family as my oldest daughter started her college career by studying abroad in Ireland. Despite the many restrictions of the pandemic, it has still been a wonderful experience for her. In addition, Beacon Consulting Group now has "boots on the ground" in Ireland and has established our European office there (more on that news will come soon).
So, even if you are not among the 32 million Americans who share some Irish ancestry, I hope you have a great day today. As the winter comes to an end (and the end of this long pandemic is finally in site), it's a great day to reflect on all the things we have to look forward to and all we have to be thankful for. I look forward to the possibility of celebrating future St. Patrick's Days (and other events) with you in person again!
Sincerely,
Dennis O'Neill &
The Beacon Consulting Team
