The sun shone this week on a sold-out Kennedy Summer School (which took place August 29th to 31st) as the crowds flocked to New Ross to enjoy a programme offering discussion, celebration and debate on a range of topics from votes for the Irish abroad, to NATO, Bruce Springsteen’s Irish roots and, of course, Irish and US politics.
Events kicked off with a school STEM event on Astrophysics at the JFK Arboretum on Thursday morning with Research Ireland, while later that afternoon, guests at the Tea Party enjoyed songs and stories from retired RTE broadcaster Bryan Dobson and local singer Todd Brothers.
Free to Use Kennedy Summer School at John F Kennedy arboretum. From left; Eileen Dunne chairperson, Minister Eamon Ryan and Paul Johnston British Ambassador to Ireland. Photo; Mary Browne
Later that evening, the KSS was officially opened at St. Michael’s Theatre by the British Ambassador, Paul Johnston, who talked about British-Irish relations among other things. He said “The British-Irish relationship is in a period of renewal,” he said, adding that there is no doubt that Britain’s decision to leave the EU in 2016 caused ‘a structural shock’ to that relationship, and did a lot of damage to it.” “We are at the start of a new cycle in the British Irish relationship,” adding that working with the US and EU WAS a key focus of his Government going forward.
Impressionist Aidan Tierney offered some comic relief, even managing a take on our favourite Bostonian Larry Donnelly.
In a powerful interview with journalist Mandy Johnston, Eamon Dunphy provided insights into his upbringing in Dublin in the 40s and 50s, heading off to England to play football at just 15 years of age, and into his work as a journalist, highlighting political plights and racism and politics in sport.
To round off the evening, Sarah Carey hosted an engaging panel discussion on ‘What Ireland can teach America’ led by Dr. Mark Henry where the focus was on what a great country Ireland is to live in!
To counter that, Minister for the Environment, Eamon Ryan, told the Speakers’ lunch on Friday that Ireland faced living in ‘a bloody cold, bloody wet country’ if warnings on the impact of climate change on Atlantic Ocean current patterns came true, adding that scientists were talking about temperatures plummeting by up to 15 degrees in some Northern European states.
Free to Use Kennedy Summer School at St Michaels theatre. Sinead McSweeney director interviewing Taoiseach Simon Harris. Photo; Patrick Browne
Highlights of Friday evening, at St Michael’s Theatre, included the Noel Whelan interview with An Taoiseach Simon Harris. It was introduced by Noel’s son Seamus, and after paying tribute to Noel, the Taoiseach told Noel’s wife Sinéad McSweeney that it was his job in politics to be a disruptor and condemn far-right elements in Irish society. ‘For me, my job is to be a disruptor‘, he said, adding that he didn’t accept the ‘pass the parcel approach’ within government which, he suggested, had become the norm. ‘If passing the parcel was an Olympic sport, he said, we would be up for a medal!’
On migration, he said Ireland was not a country of hate or racism and that far-right agitators must be separated from people with concerns about migration policy,”That’s not to say there aren’t real issues about how the Government addresses what is a migration policy? How do you process people? That’s all valid political debate, scrutiny and accountability. Let’s not let a small number of people hijack who we are as a people by political cowardice, or saying ‘leave them at it, there’s no votes in that’.”
Mr Harris also told a packed house that the general election would take place next March.
A panel of political journalists chaired by former RTE journalist Seàn O’Rourke reflected on covering politics past, present and future with some great behind-the-scenes stories about St. Patrick’s Day in the White House and what it was like to deal with one Charles J. Haughey.
While another former Taoiseach Enda Kenny received a standing ovation following a wide-ranging interview about his life in politics, becoming Taoiseach and his love of sport…
Asked if might run for the Àras, he told Marie-Louise O’Donnell “As Taoiseach, you must go to the Áras and talk about the programme for government and many other things. I said on many occasions to the Uachtarán, that I always like to visit the Aras but that I had no intention of ever applying to become a tenant there.”
Bruce Springsteen fans, who hung on for the final session of the evening, on the Boss’s Irish roots, were treated to tales of Springsteen’s heritage, the Irishness in his music and the lock-in in Kildare as told by superfans Lise Hand, genealogist Fiona Fitzsimons, Ralph Riegel and Tom Dunne.
You could feel the love in the room!
Kennedy Summer School at St Michaels theatre. The right to vote discussion. From left; Simon Coveney TD, Paul Reynolds RTE crime correspondent and Eileen Dunne chairperson. Photo; Mary Browne
Saturday morning kicked off with the History Panel on ‘Media and Memory’ which looked at political cartoons over the years, the story of the Irishman’s Diary in the Irish Times, when Hollywood came to Wexford(saving Private Ryan) and how Michael Collins was covered in his day, by the British press
Next up, a discussion on crime and anti-social behaviour which offered interesting insights on crime statistics, policing and the damaging effects of pornography from crime correspondents Paul Reynolds and Nicola Tallant, lawyer Maura Butler, former NYPD Deputy Commission James O’Keefe and psychologist Catherine Norton.
Paul Reynolds said, “The figures on violent outbreaks in Ireland are actually dropping in Ireland, we have a huge drug problem and that is increasing but the tallies of murders and violent outbreaks are decreasing in general. They do go up when associated with feuds.”
In probably the most lively debate at this year’s KSS, Emma de Souza, Ciara Kelly, Ian O’Doherty and Simon Coveney TD debated the issue of whether Irish emigrants should have a vote. De Souza told moderator Ciara Doherty, “We are talking about Irish citizens, not the diaspora. The previous referendums and the popularity of the ‘home to vote’ when people travelled home in their droves were an enormous show of strength by the people who live outside of the state.”
Back to the timing of that General Election. Simon Coveney seemed to be at odds with the Taoiseach when he told the Irish Politics panel “I think waiting until next March to hold a general election would be ‘strange’, there is a momentum building for an election in Ireland and most other politicians in other political parties are gearing up for that. I don’t know when it will happen. It’s not a certainty that it will happen in mid-November and it is the responsibility of the Taoiseach to decide when it will happen.”
And of course , there was great interest in this year’s US politics panel where speakers were asked what was the number one issue in the Presidential election. Dr Laura Barbarena, President of VIVA politics and a Harris supporter, said ‘the economy’ but without the Y, it’s the ‘econoME’, people want to know how much tax they’ll pay, how much gas will cost etc.’ Law Professor Dakota Rudesill said people were anxious about the future of democracy in the US “The public are anxious about the future of the country from the standpoint of, ‘are we going to retain the democracy that we have?’ That anxiety is widespread for many voters on both sides and, I would say it is the number one issue for them.” While Chairman of Republicans Overseas, Greg Swenson told the audience ‘it’s all about Trump’!
In a closing reflection, Ireland’s ambassador to the UK Martin Fraser spoke about the Peace Process as a gift from America and the Irish diaspora and about our relationship with the UK, “Our relationship is in good shape and the British government has changed its views on some important things in the last year, like the legacy legislation in Northern Ireland and the European Commission on human rights.”
As the audience and speakers drifted homewards to the sounds of the New Ross and District Pipe Band the constant refrain was ‘See you next year!’ and speaking afterwards on behalf of the directors, Chair Eileen Dunne thanked the speakers, who had travelled from near and far, the sponsors Wexford County Council, New Ross District Council, the OPW, Fàilte Ireland and Purdue University, Indiana and the audiences who packed the theatre each day. ‘We were back to pre-pandemic numbers’ she said, ‘and I’d like to thank everyone, from theatre staff to directors and all in-between, who contributed to the success of this year’s summer school.’
Keilthy, Sinéad McSweeney, Prof Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, Dr Matthew Jebb, Eamonn Hore, Chairperson Eileen Dunne and Kennedy Summer School Co-ordinator Sharon Doyle. The Kennedy Summer School and Festival is run in association with the Office of Public Works, Failte Ireland, New Ross District Council, Wexford County Council and Purdue University.
