WEALTH August 9, 2026 0 Comments

Unveiling the Power Players: How the US Ambassador and Top Novelists Are Revolutionizing the Kennedy Summer School Experience

Every now and then, a gathering comes along that isn’t just about conversation—it’s about connecting the dots between history, culture, and the future. This year’s Kennedy Summer School in New Ross is exactly that kind of event, kicking off with none other than Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason. Now, she’s not your everyday diplomat; this Co. Louth native has navigated the tricky waters of international politics with chops few possess, from steering Ireland’s successful UN Security Council campaign to key stints in Paris and Brussels. What’s particularly riveting? After her opening remarks at St Michael’s Theatre, she’ll dive into a fireside chat with Professor Mary C Murphy, a sharp mind on post-Brexit Northern Ireland and EU-US ties. And if you’re wondering whether such discussions can light a fire under the old town of New Ross—well, the mix of history and fresh voices suggests it will. Plus, with a lineup that runs the gamut from celebrated authors to hurling legends, it’s a whirlwind reminder that culture and creativity are as vital to Ireland’s story as any policy debate. Ready to see what all the buzz is? LEARN MORE

Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason will officially open this year’s Kennedy Summer School on Thursday, 27 August.

Following her opening remarks at St Michael’s Theatre in New Ross, Byrne Nason will sit for a fireside chat with Professor Mary C Murphy, Director of the Irish Institute at Boston College, whose research centres on post-Brexit Northern Ireland and EU-US relations.

The session, introduced by Kennedy Summer School chair Eileen Dunne, marks the return of the Irish Institute at Boston College to the festival, continuing a tradition associated with the late Bob Morrow.

A native of Co. Louth, Byrne Nason has served as Ireland’s envoy to the UN, where she led the country’s successful campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council, and has held postings in Paris and Brussels over a distinguished career with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Marking the New Ross Piano Festival’s 20th anniversary, artistic founding director Finghin Collins will perform a short recital in the theatre before a drinks reception in the theatre courtyard.

The night continues at 8 pm with Voices of Irish Writers, a panel bringing together three of the most acclaimed novelists working in Ireland today, moderated by academic, writer and film-maker Professor Bríona Nic Dhiarmada.

Author Neil Tully will discuss his debut novel The Visit, published in March to widespread critical acclaim and described by Colm Tóibín as brilliant and intriguing.

The novel is set in New Ross in June 1963, in the days before President John F. Kennedy’s historic visit, giving it a particular resonance for a Kennedy Summer School audience.

He is joined by Martina Evans, the Cork-born, London-based novelist and poet whose new collection Drunken Driving is a Poetry Book Society Choice for Summer 2026, and Belinda McKeon, novelist, playwright and Associate Professor at Maynooth University, whose debut novel Solace won the 2012 Faber Prize and whose second novel Tender has been widely praised.

Prof Nic Dhiarmada, who will moderate the Voices of Irish Writers panel, said the line-up reflected the strength and range of Irish writing today.

“New Ross has always been a place where Irish storytelling and Irish history meet, and this year’s panel captures that beautifully,” she said.

“Neil Tully’s novel brings us right back to New Ross in the days before Kennedy’s visit, while Martina Evans and Belinda McKeon show just how vital and varied Irish fiction and poetry are right now. It promises to be a rich and lively conversation.”

Later in the evening, there will be a discussion of the state of hurling, chaired by broadcaster and journalist Paul Collins and featuring GAA national head of hurling William Maher alongside former inter-county stars Michael Duignan, Ursula Jacob and Tom Dempsey

The Kennedy Summer School runs from 27-29 August in New Ross, Co Wexford.

Tickets for Thursday’s opening night events, including the Ambassador’s address and the Voices of Irish Writers panel, are on sale now and expected to sell out, with organisers encouraging early booking to avoid disappointment.

Tickets and full programme details are available at kennedysummerschool.ie.

Photo: Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason