The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
FF leader will guest at summer school
BROADCASTER OLIVIA O’LEARY TO JOIN MICHEAL MARTIN AT O’CONNELL EVENT
FIANNA Fáil leader, Micheal Martin is to be interviewed by veteran broadcaster and journalist, Olivia O’Leary as part of this year’s Daniel O’Connell Summer School which takes place in O’Connell’s native Cahersiveen and ancestral home of Caherdaniel at the end of the summer.
Prof Maurice Bric of UCD, Director of the Summer School, confirmed to The Kerryman that Mr Martin is to follow in the footsteps of former president, Mary McAleese and former Taoiseach, John Bruton who have both spoken at the summer school in recent years about O’Connell’s impact.
“We are delighted that Micheal Martin and Olivia O’Leary are joining us this year for a wide –ranging interview. I’m looking forward to what promises to be a lively and probing conversation between these two eminent public figures,” he said.
Prof Bric also revealed that this year’s summer school, which takes place on August 31 and Sept 1, will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1918 general election and votes for women which saw Countess Markievicz become the first woman MP elected to the House of Commons.
He said that Prof Yvonne Galligan and Prof John Coakley, both of Queen’s University Belfast, and Dr Martin Mansergh, former Minister of State and adviser on Fianna Fail policy on Northern Ireland, “will address the impact on the country of these important events”.
The summer school, which opens in Cahersiveen on the first day before moving to O’Connell’s ancestral home of Derrynane House in Caherdaniel for the second day, will also explore themes linked to the world and legacy of O’Connell, said Prof Bric.
Prof Maedhbhin Ni Urdail of the Dept of Irish, UCD will speak about the great poem, Caoineadh Airt Ui Laoighaire, written by O’Connell’s aunt, Eibhlin Dubh Ni Chonaill while Dr Michael Laffan of UCD will present a paper on the significance of O’Connell’s funeral in 1847.
Former school principal, Gerry Brockie will talk about the building of the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church in Caher- siveen and the building of the chapel at O’Connell’s home in Derrynane, which last week was visited by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, during their visit to Kerry.
Local businesswoman and Chair of the Daniel O’Connell Summer School Organising Committee, Mary O’Connor said that she hoped the visit by Prince Charles and Camilla would help attract more visitors, particularly from the UK, to Cahersiveen and Caherdaniel to learn more about O’Connell.
“Having Prince Charles and Camilla here is wonderful for Derrynane House and the community and the whole Iveragh Peninsula – Daniel O’Connell loved Derrynane and was inspired here to achieve everything he did in terms of Catholic Emancipation and campaigning for the abolition of slavery.
“So it’s wonderful to have all that acknowledged and recognised now by Prince Charles with his visit here and we hope that it will lead many more people to become interested in O’Connell and his legacy and hopefully we may see some of them at this year’s summer school.”
For further information visit www.oconnellsummerschool.com