The company Estee Lauder founded is now worth some $10bn

A campaign against the New York event was organised by Irish-American groups.

However, the UUP said the dinner in Manhatten proved so successful they planned to hold further such events.

Stephen McCabe of the US Brehon Law Society said he had been advised by a colleague that the dinner was taking place.

"I was told it was being hosted by Ron Lauder, who I believe is the heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics company," he said.

"We were somewhat surprised that Mr Lauder would lend his name to a dinner of this kind, because (UUP leader) David Trimble is a member of the Orange Order and the UUP reserves 14% of its seats for members of the Orange Order.

"Mr Lauder didn't appear at his own dinner... I assume he learned of the nature of the Orange Order."

We had well over 100 people at the dinner and we raised significant funds and very many of those people who were there were very anxious that we should have more of these events James Cooper Ulster Unionist chairman

Mr McCabe said he had witnessed parades during the marching season and said the Orange Order was "bigoted".

"They (the UUP) are entitled to have fundraisers - everybody is entitled to that - but the people who are sponsoring them should know what they are sponsoring."

However, Ulster Unionist chairman James Cooper, who was at the fundraiser in New York, said Mr Lauder had made it clear he may not be available to attend the dinner.

"He is a man of very many commitments, but he entirely supported the dinner and he was very instrumental in making the dinner the success it was," he said.

"I draw no significance from the fact he wasn't there.

"I haven't heard of the Brehon Law Society before - but it is clearly a narrow, myopic organisation.

"It is ill-informed. We had an extremely successful dinner despite the fact that there was a lobbying campaign in New York led by an Irish-American group to dissuade people from turning up.

"We had well over 100 people at the dinner and we raised significant funds and very many of those people who were there were very anxious that we should have more of these events."

The Brehon Law Society is a group of US lawyers with an interest in Northern Ireland.

One American newspaper reported that the event raised about $100,000.