Duke University recently published a detailed report on Atlantic Philanthropies, the charitable organisation established by Chuck Feeney, an Irish-American who has donated billions to good causes on the auld sod and beyond.

It notes that Conor O'Clery, formerly of The Irish Times, released an updated version last year of his 2008 biography of Feeney, The Billionaire Who Wasn't. The book contains some saucy new chapters about how Feeney fell out with three Atlantic directors in 2011 and how the stress brought on by the rows "nearly killed" the 79-year old.

The book “conveyed a sense of crisis” that obscured Atlantic’s work and “some Atlantic leaders felt it gave an unduly negative impression” of its “fidelity to Mr Feeney’s leadership”, the report said. But the story, Duke reckons, gained attention only in little ol’ Ireland “where Mr Feeney is widely revered” and its reputation remained intact.

It is important to make clear that “the institution’s work outweigh[s] any episodes of disagreement or tension,” it said. Feeney was always a solid supporter of peace initiatives.