2024 Programme

A chairde uilig,
Thar chionn mo chomhleachaithe, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur róimh anseo chuig Scoil Samhraidh Uí Chinnéide.

On behalf of my fellow directors, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 12th Kennedy Summer School in New Ross.

It was from here that JFK’s great- grandfather emigrated as a young man, setting sail for America , building a new life there for himself and his family and ultimately shaping the course of modern history.

It’s that history and legacy that we celebrate at the Kennedy Summer School, bringing together speakers from both sides of the Atlantic, and over the next three days we hope to inform and entertain as our various sessions unfold.

Though we have no overarching theme, (we like to think there’s something for everyone in the audience) elections will no doubt loom large…

More than 60 years ago President John F. Kennedy said “the ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all” and as democracies around the globe, come under threat, the quote is as relevant today as it was then.

Away from the discussions, we hope you will take time to ramble around the lovely town of New Ross, visit the Kennedy Homestead and Arboretum or take a tour of the Dunbrody Famine Ship.

It’s a time to renew old acquaintances and forge new connections, and as I take over the chair from my distinguished predecessor Willie Keilthy, I hope to meet as many of you as possible over the next few days.

We hope you enjoy the Kennedy Summer School and your time in the sunny South-East.

Eileen Dunne, Chair