Irwin, Jonathan

Jonathan Irwin led an apparently charmed life as the son of glamorous bohemian parents; he was educated at Eton and then at Trinity College. He worked for 35 successful years in the horse-racing industry, until the birth of his fourth child, Jack, who within 24 hours of his birth became seriously ill. During the 22 months of Jack’s life, Jonathan learned that there were no state services to help care for children like him. When Jack died he vowed that no other family would suffer the way he and his wife Mary-Ann O'Brien had, and so he set up the Jack & Jill Foundation. To date he has raised well over €48 million for the charity.