Reenactment of tea party to stir memories of JFK
OUR Lady of Fatima School in Wexford should benefit handsomely from an event in October hosted by employees from the largest employer in the county.
At last week’s launch of the Lake Region 4 Mile Run/2 Mile Walk in New Ross, it was announced that this year the chosen charities are Touching Hearts, Waterford, and Our Lady of Fatima School who will receive all the proceeds collected from donations and sponsorship. In 2016 the event raised €15,000 for both the Hope Cancer Support Centre, Enniscorthy, and Inistioge Puppy Rescue. THE MOST famous Irish tea party is set to be re-enacted at the Kennedy Homestead in Dunganstown during the annual Kennedy Summer School.
Special guests Paul Kelly, executive pastry chef at the Merrion Hotel and judge on the hit TV show ‘The Great Irish Bakeoff ’, Kevin Dundon, chef and proprietor of the Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant, Mike O’Conor, assistant head, School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology at DIT and Margaret Roche, head chef at Hugo Restaurant Dublin will collaborate to host the tea party in the famous farmyard in New Ross.
The tea party will take place during the afternoon of Friday, September 8.
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 close to 40 guest speakers participating over three days on a wide range of different subjects and organisers say that Brexit and
Attending the launch were Dermot Dooley from Touching Hearts Charity accompanied by his family and his son Darragh Dooley who is the inspiration for the charity; Rita Waters from Our Lady of Fatima School accompanied by Danielle Roche and Meg Waters; and Ray Higginbotham and Mary O’Neill from the OPW who maintain JFK park.
Also present at the launch at Lake Region were Declan Brennan (race director), Eddie Kiely (director of operations), Julie Walsh (HR manager) and various members of the Lake Region Charities Committee who helped organise and launch the event.
The Lake Region Medical 4 Mile Run/2 Mile Walk takes place on Sunday, October 15, at 1.30 p.m. on the scenic grounds of the JFK Arboretum.
The community based event will provide plenty of activity for both kids and adults.
The day will commence at 1.30 p.m. with the ‘Lake Region Kiddie Dash’, an 80m sprint for kids from the ages of 4 to 12 (kids go free). Medals and wrist bands will be presented to all kids who participate. This will be followed by a four-mile timed run comprising of two laps of the park for runners of all ages and disciplines.
This will be shortly followed by a two-mile lap of the park for walkers, those with buggies Ireland’s relationship with the US will feature prominently. The summer school have also gathered a panel of leading historians to assess the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, 100 years on from his birth.
There will be a series of public interviews including an audience with RTE US correspondent Caitriona Perry, a keynote by the speech writer for Barack Obama Cody Kennan and Bob Schrum along with a host of panellists. MP Ian Paisley Jnr, RTE europe editor Tony Connelly, TDs Regina Doherty, Mary Lou McDonald, Joan Burton and Lisa Chambers, as well as Niall Breslin, Ryan Tubridy and many more will all partake in the 2017 Kennedy Summer School.
The Summer School is set to take place in New Ross, from September 7 to 9. The Kennedy Summer School and Festival is run in association with the John F. Kennedy Trust New Ross and with Wexford County Council.
For further details and event tickets see kennedysummerschool.ie or call St Michael’s Theatre at 051 421255. and kids and anyone who wants to take part. All participants must register prior to the event or on the day from 11.30 a.m.
Light refreshments will then be served and prizes will be presented to the race winners.
This non-for-profit charity event is being supported locally by the United Striders and Catherine Ronan will organise the timing of the run on the day.
Pick up a sponsorship pack by popping into Anna Furlong Hairdressing Studio or call 051421287 or alternatively to Lake Region Medical Security (051 440655) to register and collect your pack. Find out more at lakeregionmedical4mile.com or on Facebook.