Irish eyes were shining brightly

Mar 12, 2026 at 08:11 PM

Teresa Varley

Steelers.com

Irish eyes were shining brightly on Thursday night at The Ireland Funds Pittsburgh Gala.

Acrisure Stadium was a combination of the Emerald Isle, a Hollywood movie mecca and Steelers football and fashion for a night that highlighted the honorees, which included award winning actor Michael Keaton and Steelers Super Bowl winning coach Mike Tomlin and his wife and fashion designer Kiya Tomlin.

An Irish pub area reminded everyone about the great cause at hand, The Ireland Funds, which was started in 1976 by late Steelers Chairman and Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney and fellow Pittsburgh businessman the late Tony O'Reilly with a trinity of goals which includes peace, culture, and charity. The Ireland Funds is now celebrating its 50th anniversary, something that warms the heart of Caitriona Fottrell, President and CEO of The Ireland Funds.

"It's not only amazing, it's kind of overwhelming when you go out to the pitch and see the 50th (anniversary) on that huge screen," said Fottrell. "It is absolutely overwhelming.

"It all started in Pittsburgh with an idea with Dan and Patricia Rooney and Tony O'Reilly. I think they were unbelievably ambitious and they had an extraordinary vision, but I don't think even they could have imagined just how far it would go and the impact it would have. It's just incredibly powerful.

"When we were celebrating our 40th anniversary, Dan was asked what he was most proud of, and he said the fact that we're still here, and that's very relevant, even more so today at the 50th."

Steelers President Art Rooney II took over the reins for the Pittsburgh Gala, with memories back to the first one that was held in 1976.

"It's amazing, and it's great that it's lasted this long," said Rooney. "I was at the first dinner in 1976 and I'm not sure anybody was really sure it would last 50 years that night. It's a tribute to the hard work that my dad and Tony O'Reilly put into it, getting it off the ground and really making sure that it was sustainable. I think the first 10, 15 years, it really was an effort to spread it around the country, spread it around the world. Now to look back on 50 years and see what was accomplished, it's great to see."

From the moment you walked in the door, you were transported to the magic of the movies, from Keaton's Beetlejuice to Batman featured in an epic manner from props to movie scenes displayed in iconic fashion.

"Michael's career has been remarkable, and just the list of his accomplishments and credits is even longer than I thought," said Rooney. "The great thing about Michael is that he never forgot where he came from. He's a Pittsburgher, proud of it, wears it on his sleeve, and this is the second award he's been back for in the last year and so it tells you what it means to him.

Football and fashion were also front and center to honor the Tomlins, from the Super Bowl XLIII trophy to a fashion forward storefront display, it embraced everything about the couple.

"My mother would be very proud that they're getting the award," said Rooney. "They really made Pittsburgh their home, raised their family here. They became ingrained in the community in a lot of ways that I'm sure people don't realize. They didn't really seek the spotlight in what they were doing with their community activities. They went out there and got involved and got things done. It's really great to be able to present them this award."

Irish entertainment was plentiful, which included an always treasured performance by Jim Lamb of Guaranteed Irish and Gaelic Artist was writing guest's names in Gaelic.

Once the evening began, it was all about the honorees.

When people think of award-winning actor Michael Keaton, they often identify him with some of the iconic roles he has played.

And most times it's Batman that comes to mind.

When people in Western Pennsylvania think of Keaton, there is another role that comes to mind.

Pittsburgher.

And that is why he was an easy selection to receive the 2026 Daniel M. Rooney Ambassador's Award, presented to an individual who reflects Ambassador Rooney's leadership, love of Pittsburgh and contribution to the community.

"Dan's legacy with the Steelers and through co-founding The Ireland Funds, represents the kind of leadership, generosity and sense of community that is so meaningful to generations," said Keaton. "He understood that you can go out into the world, build something extraordinary, and give back in profound ways. That's what he did over and over again.

"To be honored in his name, in the city I grew up in, is something I'll carry with me forever."

Keaton also is honored to be a part of the 50th Anniversary of The Ireland Funds and supporting what the organization stands for.

"In such a divisive moment, I'm especially honored to be recognized by an organization that has promoted unity for 50 years," said Keaton. "The programs started by Dan and Tony—spanning education, wellness, culture, and more—continue to create opportunity and strengthen connections across countries. They envisioned a global Irish community united in purpose, and I hope to play a small part in carrying that legacy forward."

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Michael Keaton, award winning actor and Mike and Kiya Tomlin, Super Bowl champion and internationally recognized fashion designer, were honored during the Ireland Funds Pittsburgh Gala on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers)

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While his roles on the big and small screen earned him praise and accolades worldwide, it's his Pittsburgh roots that have earned him love and admiration in the region.

Keaton, who was inducted into the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame in 2025, has appeared in nearly 100 films and television series.

It all started in his hometown, working on the production crew of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood at Pittsburgh's WQED studio and then making his first television appearance on the show in 1975.

Keaton went on from there to kick off a successful career that has included a laundry list of awards. He is one of only a few leading men whose films, Spotlight and Birdman, won the Academy Award for best picture in back-to-back years.

Keaton made history winning three Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for The Trial of the Chicago 7.

His performance in Dopesick as "Dr. Samuel Finnix" in the Hulu limited series, which he also served as the executive producer for, earned him all five major television awards in a single awards cycle, including the Golden Globe®, Screen Actors Guild®, Television Critics Association Award®, Critic's Choice, and the Emmy® Award for Lead Actor in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie.

Keaton and filmmaker Tim Burton combined efforts five times, beginning with their work on Beetlejuice. The collaboration continued as Keaton had title roles in Batman, Batman Returns, Walt Disney Studios' Dumbo and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Mike and Kiya Tomlin have been staples in the Pittsburgh area since he was hired by the Steelers on January 22, 2007, and from the moment they arrived they wanted to give back to the city, whether on the field or in the community.

That is why they are the recipients of the prestigious Patricia R. Rooney Community Impact Award.

"I'm honored, but I'm humbled by it as well, that they would think of Kiya and I in this way," said Mike Tomlin. "I know how important this is to the Rooney family and I have nothing but love and admiration for Mrs. Rooney. I'm honored and humbled would be the most appropriate words.

"But words don't put into perspective the feelings I have about the Rooney family in general. I met them when I was a very young man, and they allowed me to grow and live out my dreams and help me in every aspect of life outside the profession."

The award is presented annually to leaders who have produced successful organizational initiatives in response to a significant contemporary problem.

"I hold Mrs. Rooney in such high regard, so winning this is such an honor," said Kiya Tomlin. "I have the fondest memory of our first night in Pittsburgh with her, she was so real, comfortable and down to earth. But that also she spoke her mind, and she was a really strong woman. I got to see that side of her as well, which was just inspiring."

Mike Tomlin spent 19 seasons as the Steelers head coach (2007-25), never had a losing season, leading the team to a 193-114-2 record. He led the Steelers to a .500 or better record in each of his 19 seasons as head coach, which is tied for the second-longest streak of .500 or better seasons by a head coach in NFL history.

Tomlin's 193 regular season wins tied Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Noll for the most regular season wins in Steelers history. Tomlin also tied Noll for ninth place in all-time regular season wins in NFL history.

During his tenure, Tomlin led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII over the Arizona Cardinals, as well as an appearance in Super Bowl XLV. In addition, the team won the AFC North eight times, including in 2025, and were AFC Champions twice, while earning a playoff berth 13 times.

Tomlin was the only head coach in Steelers' history to lead the team to two Super Bowl appearances in his first four seasons. With the win in Super Bowl XLIII in his second season, he became the fastest coach to win a Super Bowl championship in Steelers history, and the eighth coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl within his first two seasons.

Kiya Tomlin has also made her mark on Pittsburgh, taking her love of fashion to the next level in Pittsburgh and beyond. Tomlin launched Kiya Tomlin Fashion in 2014, a combination of glamour and comfort in an easy to wear fashion line for work, play and stepping out on the red carpet.

In 2021, she expanded her brand to include NFL licensed apparel, with her designs available in her store in the Pittsburgh area and online.

What the Tomlins have done in football and fashion only touches on the impact they have had in the Pittsburgh region.

The Tomlins are past recipients of the Chuck Cooper Foundation Career Achievement Award in Leadership Diversity and Community Service Award. The Foundation's goal is to help further the education of students in the Pittsburgh area, something that is a passion for the Tomlin family as well.

The couple has served as co-chairs for Steelers Style, the team's annual fashion show which benefits the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, Cancer Bridges, and the Chuck Noll Foundation.

They also join forces to host a holiday food distribution in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, giving back to those most in need during the holidays. The couple doesn't just hand out turkeys and all the trimmings, but they take time to visit with everyone, get to know people and share the holiday spirit.

Mike Tomlin has been a participant at the ManUp Pittsburgh conference, which encourages men to be better fathers and role models. He also is involved in numerous other endeavors, all done outside of the spotlight.

"Giving back to the community is something that's always been big for Kiya and I," said Mike Tomlin. "We benefited as young people from community, personally, as young athletes, and particularly young athletes that kind of came from broken homes. It takes a village, and we both benefited from that.

"We always had a desire to engage and be members of the community in which we live. Pittsburgh became home for us. It was important to do it from that perspective to be positive members of a community in which we live to teach our kids how to do so. We found that in Pittsburgh."

Kiya Tomlin is involved with multiple charitable organizations as well as other philanthropic events throughout Pittsburgh. She is on the board for the Pittsburgh Promise, which promotes high educational aspirations among urban youth, funds scholarships for post-secondary access, and fuels a prepared and diverse regional workforce.

In addition, she is involved with the Pittsburgh Art and Lectures, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Hill House, Andy Warhol Museum and the National Council of Jewish Women annual Thriftique fundraiser. She also took it upon herself during the covid pandemic to make masks for healthcare workers and beyond, the first in the Pittsburgh region to convert her factory into mask making and donating thousands of masks, while making over 10,000, as part of Highmark's Million Mask initiative.

She has also done other fundraising and philanthropic efforts, including donating approximately 1,300 clothing items to those who lost almost everything during Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017.

"It's an honor to be able to serve Pittsburgh and to use our platform to hopefully make Pittsburgh a better place," said Kiya Tomlin. "But also, to really enjoy Pittsburgh for ourselves, and become Pittsburghers, and bring the Pittsburgh ethic and culture into our lives. Not being native Pittsburghers, it's been a real benefit to us personally to adopt the Pittsburgh way, and to be able to raise our kids as Pittsburghers with that pride and work ethic and just love.

"I'm grateful to the Pittsburgh community because they have been so supportive and welcoming of me doing my own thing as opposed to just being the football wife. They have always respected me for what I am passionate about in my own right."

Irish eyes were shining brightly

PHOTOS: 2026 The Ireland Funds Pittsburgh Gala

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Holiday magic filled the air