Focus on US and Irish Politics, Ukraine, Collins Anniversary and Sustainable Futures planned for the 2022 Kennedy Summer School
Opening by US Ambassador Claire Cronin, Irish American State Legislators Caucus Panel and Keynote by Joe Kennedy
US politician and grandson of Robert Kennedy, Joe Kennedy will hold a keynote, United States Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin will officially open, the Irish American State Legislators’ Caucus will join a panel discussion, and Minister Simon Harris is the Kennedy Summer School Speakers Lunch guest plus a host of politicians, political commentators and correspondents and leading global academics will all join in the discussions billed for the annual Kennedy Summer School which is set to take place in New Ross, Co. Wexford this September 8th to 10th 2022.
The 2022 Summer School will focus on topical issues in Irish and U.S. politics with leading expert speakers from both sides of the Atlantic along with a focus on Russia and Ukraine plus a focus on the 100th anniversary of Michael Collin’s death and a discussion on Sustainable Futures and political impact. More than 40 guest speakers will participate in debates on a wide range of subjects with the U.S. and Ukraine featuring prominently.
The Kennedy Summer School and Festival is hosted in association with the John F. Kennedy Trust, New Ross and Wexford County Council. Announcing the programme details for the upcoming Summer School Chairman Willie Keilthy says, “We are delighted to announce an exciting programme of events for what is the 10th year since we commenced the Kennedy Summer School. There is no shortage of topics from our own politics in Ireland and the impact of the Ukrainian war on Europe and beyond to Biden’s political impact on global inflation and more, we will also look back as we approach the 100th anniversary of the death of Michael Collins and talk about the young leaders who were all lost too soon.
It is a joy to this year be in a position to welcome audiences back into St Michael’s Theatre, we have missed what has always been insightful and lively audience interaction and look forward to faces old and new in New Ross this September.”
Getting the 2022 Summer School off to a start on September 8th is a panel discussion on ‘Sustainable Futures’ discussing working together for policy and political change in combination with personal responsibility will be Matthew Jebb of the National Botanic Gardens, Senator Grace O’Sullivan, journalist Jo Linehan, founder of GIY Michael Kelly, youth activists Alannah Wrynn and Anabel O’Hora of the National Youth Assembly on Climate chaired by David McCullagh.
Later that afternoon, a Tea Party at the JFK Memorial Park will be reminiscent of the most famous tea party in history as President John F. Kennedy stood in the yard of his ancestral home in New Ross and drank an iconic cup of tea with his Irish cousin Mary Ryan. One of Ireland’s popular broadcasters Mary Kennedy will host the event and entertainment will be the screening of the Peggy Walsh film of JFK visiting New Ross in 1963.
On Thursday afternoon authors Neal Thompson, Professor Sarah Churchwell, Larry Donnelly, Dr Brian Murphy and Professor Donnacha Ó Beacháin are all donating their titles on US politics and the Kennedys to the Kennedy Book and Research Archive at New Ross Library.
On Thursday evening US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin will officially open the summer school followed by a short public interview. Following this event Failte Ireland will take to the stage with a panel of tourism experst to discuss the impact of the global economy and the pandemic on Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector. This will be followed by the Edward M Kennedy lecture which will see Senator Tom Clonan, Prof Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Tony Connelly and Shona Murray discuss ‘Putin’s War: The Invasion of Ukraine and what it mean for Europe?’.
Taking to the stage at 7pm to discuss life in the Irish tourism sector, being a building block for regional balance and a critical contributor to social cohesion are proud Wexford natives Paul Kelly, CEO Fáilte Ireland, and Siobhan McManamy of Tourism Ireland, who are responsible for growing tourism both in Ireland and to Ireland respectively
On Friday afternoon at 12.30 pm, Minister Simon Harris will take to the stage at the Kennedy Summer School Speakers Lunch. Delegates and invited guests can meet and mingle with the 2022 summer school speakers at the JFK Memorial Park & Arboretum. Boston College hosts this lunch event.
The annual Kennedy Summer School session bearing the name of summer school founder, the late Noel Whelan, ‘The Noel Whelan Interview’ with a yet-to-be-revealed VIP guest will be unveiled closer to the 2022 Kennedy Summer School opening date.
Following this interview, the Kennedy Summer School Keynote will be hosted and the guest speaker for 2002 is US layer and Politician Joe Kennedy, son of Joe Kennedy senior and grandson of the US senator and Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
Taking events to a close on Friday evening will be a discussion on Ulysses and Gatsby: Irish and American geniuses at work with Prof Philip McGowan, Prof Sarah Churchwell, and Ambassador Dan Mulhall.
On Saturday morning the Kennedy Summer School History Symposium will take place focusing on lost leaders; Michael Collins, Parnell, JFK and Bobby Kennedy with a panel discussion joined by guest speakers Dr Martin O’Donoghue, Neal Thompson, Dr William Murphy and Dr Anne Dolan.
At noon on Saturday, taking things off the air and onto the stage will be Cal Thomas and Marion McKeone. At 2 pm a session on Irish Women Covering Politics will be the focus of attention for political journalists Aoife Moore, Christina Finn, Mandy Johnston, Ciara Phelan, Mary Regan and moderator Ivan Yates.
At 3 pm the focus will be placed on Irish Politics as Minister Jack Chambers TD, Richard Boyd-Barrett TD, Sorca Clarke TD and moderator Gavin Reilly will take to the stage. Later in the afternoon, US politics will be the discussion topic with Prof Sarah Churchwell, John Feehery, Royston Brady and moderator Brian O’Donovan and events will come to a close on Saturday evening as a panel from the American Irish State Legislators’ Caucus, which has already attracted a membership of more than 800 will join Senator Mark Daly in conversation with Larry Donnelly.
