Brian Muldoon

I received my Morrison Visa in 1994, just after finishing college at Trinity in Dublin. I made the move that same year, it’s easy to remember because it was the summer of the World Cup. I’d already spent the previous summer, in ’93, playing GAA in Boston with Columcilles. By 1994, I was lining out with Galway, and that connection to sport was a big part of what drew me in to stay longer.

Like a lot of us back then, I didn’t have a crystal-clear plan. I was still in college, uncertain about what was next, but I’d always had an interest in business. I started out working construction, standard fare for Irish lads newly arrived, but soon landed a bartending job on Newbury Street. The tips were excellent; I was making up to $2,000 a week at times, which felt surreal. Still, I knew I wanted to use my degree and get onto a more professional track. By January 1995, I got my start at Fidelity Investments.

There were some unexpected highlights in those early years. I’d been writing GAA match reports for the Irish Voice newspaper, which opened a few doors.

“One of my favorite memories was interviewing Paul McGrath before his testimonial dinner at the Park Plaza Hotel.”

He was a childhood hero of mine. I also got to interview President Mary Robinson during that time. And, of course, I met my wife Sinéad through the GAA. Our first date was at an Irish pub in Boston, and I showed up with a broken arm from football, great first impression!

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Communication with home was a challenge. Back then, there were no mobile phones or emails, just letters and the occasional call on a landline. And like many Morrison recipients, I wrestled with the long-term question: stay or go back? After five years in Boston and some travel, we decided to return home. The Celtic Tiger was roaring by then, and we saw an opportunity in Ireland too.

That time in the U.S. shaped so much of who I am, both professionally and personally. I gained a deeper understanding of American culture: their love for sport, strong sense of identity, and incredible openness. I didn’t live entirely within the Irish circle; I dipped in and out, traveled widely, and embraced life there. That mix of experiences has been incredibly valuable, especially in building lasting business relationships and friendships that continue to this day.

The Morrison Visa, for me, was all about opportunity. The visa gave me the chance to experience life abroad, meet incredible people, and broaden my perspective. Its legacy is one of connection, lifelong friends, both Irish and American, and professional and personal growth that shaped the rest of my life.

“If I could pass on anything, it would be gratitude. And maybe a hope that something like it could exist again..”

..maybe even a two-way exchange, where young Americans could spend time here, and young Irish could experience a few years in the U.S., like the Australian model. The Morrison program worked because it created legal, structured paths for opportunity. That’s something still needed today.