Kennedy Summer School in the national spotlight
THE national media spotlight is firmly on New Ross for the fifth annual Kennedy Summer School, which is set to open in the town this Thursday evening, continuing until Saturday night.
Newstalk will be broadcasting live from the Kennedy Summer School with high profile presenter Pat Kenny set to take up residence in the Dunbrody Visitor Centre on Friday morning for a special three hour programme from the summer school.
The RTE Nationwide team will also be about town as they are set to film a half hour television programme.
The event is also set to see New Ross trend for the weekend across Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The 2017 Kennedy Summer School ticket events are now sold out, however, a number of limited places at the free events, including the opening event with Minister Katherine Zappone followed by the film screening and talk are available for reservation by contacting karen@kennedysummerschool.ie via email.
The Summer School, which is deliberately held outside the peak tourist season, brings significant economic benefit to the town and county, amounting to a €50,000 spend annually. Visitors from the US, the UK, France, Germany and all across Ireland, have snapped up an average of 300 tickets per day for the three-day summer school. School founder Noel Whelan said: ‘The national and international publicity gained through the Kennedy Summer School further reinforces the towns association with the Kennedy name, driving tourism and placing the spotlight firmly on New Ross. It is set to be an unprecedented success this year and we are already working on very exciting plans to expand the Kennedy Summer School even further in 2018.’
Many events are open to the public and free to attend over the three days including the launch of the ‘New Ross Kennedy Book and Research Archive’ at New Ross Library to mark the 100th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s birth on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Those wishing to secure a place at this event are asked to email karen@kennedysummerschool.ie.
Highlights at the 2017 Summer School include audiences with the speech writer for Barack Obama, Cody Kennan, Ian Paisley Jnr MP on Brexit and its various implications for Ireland, Bob Shrum on his involvement in Edward Kennedy’s 1980 presidential election campaign, Caitriona Perry on Translating Trump and a panel of experts on U.S. and Irish policies and politics.
It has been confirmed that the talks with Cody Keenan, Ian Paisley MP, Dr Bob Shrum and the public interview with Catriona Perry will all be live streamed via the Facebook page: Kennedy Summer School.