Countdown to 2023 Kennedy Summer School in New Ross

The countdown is on to the 2023 Kennedy Summer School with events commencing on Thursday, August 31 and the weekend will be filled with panel discussions, debates and public interviews and addresses.

The annual Kennedy Summer School is set to host a number of expert discussions and is billed as 'A Festival of Irish and American, History, Politics and Culture. There will be over 60 guest speakers participating with Her Excellency, Canadian Ambassador Nancy Smyth, set to open the occasion.

The first event is  the ‘Hamilton Walk’ a discussion for secondary school students at the JFK Memorial Park with Ruth McAvinia, Dr Kieran Seoige, Dr Fiachre O’Cairbre and hosted by Prof Patrick Prendergast.

The Kennedy Tea Party with Eileen Whelan is now sold out as is the Speaker’s Luncheon with Mairead McGuinness and limited tickets remain for events at St. Michael’s Theatre. 

The official opening takes place on Thursday evening at 6.30pm with H.E. Nancy Smyth Canadian Ambassador at St. Michael’s Theatre followed by what is set to be a fascinating discussion on Celebrity Politics with Terry Prone, Gerard Howlin, Dermot Murnaghan and moderated by Sarah Carey. Sports fans will be enthused to learn that football legend Martin O’Neill will also be taking to the stage to discuss his extraordinary life in football and share his views on the future of the beautiful game.  

On Friday morning the South East Economic Forum event will taker place with a panel if guests including Tom Enright Wexford County Council, Jim Bergin Tirlán, Prof Veronica Campbell SETU, Laura Brien MARA, Joan Nolan Nolan Transport, Vasileios Madouros The Central Bank and Marianne Barkan-Cowdy The French Embassy moderated by Paul O’Flynn of Failte Ireland. This event will be followed by the annual JFK Summer School Speakers Lunch guest speaker is EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness. 

At 6pm expert panel will discuss the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the European Union with moderator Alex White, joined by Patrick Honohan, Ray Bassett,  Suzanne Lynch, Lucinda Creighton and Dermot Murnaghan. At 7pm on Friday, September 1st The Noel Whelan Interview will see Film Director Lenny Abrahamson take to the stage for an interview with Sinéad McSweeney.

This session commemorates the founder of the Kennedy Summer School, Noel Whelan. Over the years, Noel conducted a number of one-to-one interviews with key figures in Irish political and cultural life. We are continuing this tradition in his honour while also taking the opportunity to explore themes which remember and draw from Noel’s life, loves and interests.

Directors of the Summer School say, “We are honoured and excited to welcome Oscar and Emmy nominated film director, Lenny Abrahamson to the stage of St. Michael’s Theatre. During the interview we will chat about the director’s impressive work including the films Room, Garage, Adam and Paul, What Richard Did, Frank and The Little Stranger as well as the television series, Normal People and Conversations with Friends. The discussion will also expand to broader themes including fatherhood and legacy.

A spotlight on the Changing Face of Ireland in a panel discussion which will address issues of diversity and identity in the light of the findings of the most recent census. 

The panel will have four speakers, former Dublin footballer Jason Sherlock who will talk about his own experience of growing up and also address the importance of sport in integrating new communities; Historian at New York University’s Glucksman Ireland House Dr Miriam Nyam Grey who will speak about diversity in the Irish- American diaspora, New York Human Rights Lawyer Pat Gatling, who will talk about migration from a civil rights perspective and School of Law and Government at DCU Professor Gary Murphy who will discuss the social and political implications of demographic change.

A director of the Kennedy Summer School Bríona Nic Dhiarmada will moderate the panel discussion. Friday evenings will close with a reflection by Frank McNally.

On Saturday morning the a discussion on Irish American Leaders  will take place with moderator Aisling Brady and panel guests: Dr Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Sean McCormack, Larry Donnelly, Ali Watkins,  Ken Murray.

At noon a husband and wife political duo take to the stage to discuss their opposing political viewpoints. Husband and Democratic political consultant James Carville and Republican political consultant Mary Matalin.

The Irish Politics Panel will be moderated by Sean O’Rourke  with guests Gary Gannon TD, James Lawless TD, Rose Conway-Walsh TD followed by a A highlight of the Kennedy Summer School each year is the Edward M Kennedy lecture and interview and this year the former Vice Admiral Mark Mellett is set to take to the stage for a conversation with Dr Stacey L. Connaughton of Purdue Policy Research Institute.  He will discuss his career and life  along with the strategic drivers and implications of the war in Ukraine, Ireland’s neutrality and the implications of climate breakdown on global security and stability.

The evening will see Pat Gatling New York Human Rights Lawyer and Greg Swenson Chairman of the republications overseas UK, American journalist and former co-anchor on NBC Renee Fattah and Irish writer and political commentator John McGuirk will take to the stage in New Ross at the Kennedy Summer School for the US politics panel discussion. Taking events to a close will be a reflection by the Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America Her Excellency Geraldine Byrne Nayson followed by a vibrant finish from the New Ross and District Pipe Band.

For further details and tickets for the 2023 events see www.kennedysummerschool.ie or call St Michael’s Theatre on 051 421255. The Kennedy Summer School and Festival is run in association with the Office of Public Works, New Ross District Council, Wexford County Council, Boston College, Purdue University & Failte Ireland.