Inspired by the legacy of Bruff and Lough Gur to the American Fitzgerald Kennedy political dynasty, the weekend gathering in County Limerick will explore the life of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of President John F Kennedy (three of her four grandparents came from Bruff/Lough Gur). As well as honouring the matriarch, the School also explores the wider Irish-American emigration experience, from post-famine times to the present day, with a particular focus on women.
to the fourth Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Autumn School, in Bruff, Co Limerick.
Keynote addresses by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, granddaughter of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, and Barbara Perry author of Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch.
Followed by conversation with moderator Marty Morrissey RTÉ
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was the first woman Lieutenant Governor of the State of Maryland (1995-2003). She is now a research professor at Georgetown University, where she founded the Center for Retirement Initiatives. Prior to being Lieutenant Governor, she served as US Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
Prof Barbara Perry is a biographer of the Kennedys and an expert on the US presidency and US Supreme Court. She is the Director of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, where she co-chairs the Presidential Oral History Program.
RTÉ
Marty Morrissey spent the first ten years of his life living in the Bronx, New York, before his family returned to Ireland. He joined RTÉ’s sports department in 1994, and is one of its best-known broadcasters. He is Gaelic games correspondent with the station.
CLOSING REMARKS
Tim O’Connor is a former senior diplomat at the dept. of foreign affairs 1979–2007, and former Secretary General to the President of Ireland 2007–2010. Most of his career was spent working on the N Ireland Peace Process and he was a member of the Irish government team for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He was Consul General to New York from 2005–2007. Today he is a member of the Independent Reporting Commission on Paramilitarism.
The City of Limerick Pipe Band perform at LOUGH GUR LAKEFRONT
The City of Limerick Pipe Band is renowned as one of Ireland’s leading pipe bands since its founding in 1949. Last year saw them headlining Savannah, Georgia’s 200th St Patrick’s Day anniversary, in addition to participating in the Interceltic Festival in Lorient, France. Limerick-based in Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School, they welcome new members of all ages for fun, travel and adventure.
Bruff native Brian has spent ten years researching this richly historical area, particularly the folklore, prehistory and placenames. He runs Lough Gur Visitor Centre.
Spearheaded by Daniel Clancy and involving John Carew, George Finch and Brian Collopy, the FOLKLORE PROJECT gathered recollections from a diverse array of local people, so as to capture a moment in Lough Gur’s long history for future generations to share—the latest in a series of projects over fifty years.
Panel discussion on the experiences and contribution of Irish nurses to the NHS with Professor Louise Ryan and Gráinne McPolin, co-authors of Irish Nurses in the NHS, an oral history.
Professor Louise Ryan is senior professor of sociology and director of the Global Diversities & Inequalities Research Centre at the London Metropolitan University. She is also chairperson of the Research Ethics Committee in the School of Social Sciences and Professions. She is a native of Cork.
Gráinne McPolin is an Irish radio producer, podcaster and documentary maker. Having spent many years as a nurse in frontline healthcare in Ireland, Britain and the Middle East, she retrained as a radio producer with Radio Kerry and Kerry College.
Deirdre O’Shaughnessy is Opinion Editor at the Irish Examiner and presenter of The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy podcast, she previously worked in regional radio and newspapers. She was twice awarded the Simon Cumbers Grant for reporting in Rwanda and Cambodia. She is a native of Kilfinane, Co Limerick.
Dr Bernadette Whelan MRIA Emeritus Professor, Dept of History, University of Limerick on Locating the American dimension of Irishwomen’s lives 1845-1920 – Exploring the extent to which the concept and reality of ‘America’ affected Irishwomen’s lives.
is professor emeritus in the department of history at the University of Limerick. She publishes extensively on American-Irish relations. She has written De Valera and Roosevelt, Irish and American Diplomacy in times of Crisis: 1932-1939 published by Cambridge University Press in 2021.
MODERATOR
Dr Potter has been curator of Limerick Museum since 2017 during which time the museum has hosted over eighty exhibitions, both actual and virtual. He is also an associate fellow of the department of history, University of Limerick. Dr Potter has published several books and articles on the history and heritage of Limerick.
Focusing on women’s role in the peace process, a retrospective discussion about the 1998 Good Friday Agreement affording lessons for today’s global conflict.
Liz O’Donnell Minister in the Irish government negotiating team, Good Friday Agreement 1998
is a former TD and government minister. She is also the former chairperson of the Road Safety Authority. She was a member of the Irish government delegation at the Good Friday Agreement negotiations. She was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1992 to 2007 for the Progressive Democrats Party.
is an academic and former politician. She is a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Michigan, and is emeritus professor of women’s studies and social policy at Ulster University. She co-founded the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and led its negotiating team at the Good Friday Agreement talks. She was elected to the legislative assembly in Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2003, and today she is a member of the Independent Reporting Commission on paramilitarism (IRC).
Tim O’Connor is a former senior diplomat at the dept. of foreign affairs 1979-2007, and former Secretary General to the President of Ireland 2007-2010. Most of his career was spent working on the N Ireland peace process and he was a member of the Irish government team for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He was Consul General to New York 2005-2007. Today he is a member of the Independent Reporting Commission on paramilitarism (IRC).
writes about politics for the Irish Independent and is a regular contributor to Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. He reported European affairs from Brussels for the Independent Group from 1989 until 1999. He was deputy government press secretary from 2007 to 2011 (Green Party). Author of Most Skilful, Most Devious, Most Cunning—a Political Biography of Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny The Unlikely Taoiseach. He is a native of Limerick City.
MASS FOLLOWED BY BREAKFAST
Special remembrance Mass for Fitzgerald families, immigrants and emigrants, and to mark the occasion of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend’s visit. Musical guests include male choir and harpist at Mass and breakfast. Everyone is invited to both!
Dr Scott Lucas Clinton Institute, UCD, in conversation with Prof Gary O’Brien Vice-president Mary Immaculate College, one year on from the US presidential election.
Scott Lucas is a professor of international politics at the Clinton Institute, UCD since 2014, and is a noted commentator on US and international affairs. He is professor emeritus of international politics at the University of Birmingham and editor-in-chief of EA Worldview. He is a specialist in American politics, US and British foreign policy.
Gary O’Brien is vice-president of governance and strategy at Mary Immaculate College, with responsibility for institutional governance, strategic and operational planning, policy development, compliance, ICT, communications and marketing, community engagement and quality assurance. Alongside his executive role, he remains active in research on American politics and foreign policy, with a particular focus on strategic nuclear policy and international relations from the beginning of the Cold War to the present day, which was the subject of his doctoral thesis.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí
SPEAKER
Declan Hehir is founder and director of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Autumn School.
FRIDAY 24th October
7.15 pm: Formal opening of School by Mayor of Limerick John Moran
Welcome: Declan Hehir Director of the School
7.30 pm: Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Unique Family Insights and Perspectives
Moderator: Marty Morrissey, RTÉ
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Barbara Perry
Followed by
Conversation with Marty Morrissey
Closing remarks: Tim O’Connor
THOMAS FITZGERALD CENTRE, BRUFF
S O C I A L * C L U B
SATURDAY 25th October
10.45 am: THE MAGIC OF LOUGH GUR
The City of Limerick Pipe Band
LOUGH GUR LAKEFRONT
11 am: Local Folklore Project
Moderator: Brian Collopy
LOUGH GUR VISITOR CENTRE
1.30 pm: Trailblazers Irish Nurses in Britain’s NHS
Prof Louise Ryan, Gráinne McPolin
Moderator: Deirdre O’Shaughnessy
4 pm: America: Concept and Reality—the impact on Irishwomen’s lives 1845-1920
Dr Bernadette Whelan
Moderator: Dr Matthew Potter
8 pm: Good Friday Agreement — peace process in today’s world
Liz O’Donnell, Prof Monica McWilliams, Tim O’Connor
Moderator: John Downing
THOMAS FITZGERALD CENTRE, BRUFF
S O C I A L * C L U B
SUNDAY 26th October
10 am: Mass
PATRICKSWELL CHURCH, LOUGH GUR
11 am: Fitzers Community Breakfast
HONEY FITZ THEATRE, LOUGH GUR
2 pm: America 2025 the Trump Effect
Dr Scott Lucas, Prof Gary O’Brien
3 pm: Concert performance by Bruff Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Joint MCs: Pat Hayes and John O’Riordan Committee members of the School
S O C I A L * C L U B
Set up by members of the community to memorialise the Fitzgerald Kennedy links that stem from 1850, the School sheds light on Irish emigrants’ feeling for place that, just like the Fitzgeralds, they left over a century ago, and to echo recent remarks by the former Taoiseach, many in our families have once been asylum seekers, immigrants or emigrants, and nationality and identity ‘are far more complex and fluid than people often care to admit’. We hope to have a lively debate and consider the contrast between Ireland—then and now.
Register here to join us for complimentary breakfast at 11am Sunday 26th in the Honey Fitz Theatre
