Bertie Ahern to open Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School, Friday 31st May and 1st June, 2024

The 16th Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School was formally launched by Mr. Justin Warnock, Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, at Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre on Monday, 20th May. The summer school, now in its 16th year, is taking its place among the annual calendar of summer schools being held nationwide, and is certainly living up to the academic and public interest expectations of these events. 

L to R, Olive Gallagher, Catherine Fox, Cllr Padraig Fallon, Frances Bennett, Cllr Felim Gurn, John Keaney, Rosella Keaney, Liam Gallagher, Pat Fox, Eddie Mitchell, Cllr Justin Warnock, Cathaoirleach, Leitrim County Council, Catherine Berrigan, Cllr Mary Bohan, Frank Fox, Regina Fahey, Michelle Brennan Shyabo, Siobhan Keogh, James Gilmartin and Cllr Sean McDermott.

For the past sixteen years, the event has heightened public awareness of the historical figure of Sean Mac Diarmada and his rural origins, in the county of Leitrim. It has honoured the memory of this major contributor to modern Irish history and seeks to bring the weight and insight of academic research to the subject of Mac Diarmada and the 1916 Easter Rising. 

The Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School has, up to 2016, focused on historically, what has shaped us as a nation and as a people, on what has contributed to our identity, both at home and abroad. 

After 2016, the event broadened its scope to include contemporary items and issues -  examining social, economic, political, healthcare and public interest topics. 

Thanks to the combined hard work, dedication, and commitment, of the summer school committee, supported and sponsored by Leitrim County Council, Kiltyclogher has established a summer school that boasts the very best in academic research, and accomplished speakers, bringing international academics and household names to Kiltyclogher.  

The 2024 event commences on Friday 31st May with the opening ceremony which will be held at the Mac Diarmada homestead at 6pm. 

The official opening will be conducted by Bertie Ahern  (former Taoiseach) on the doorstep of the last surviving homestead of a signatory of the 1916 Rising. 

This event will be followed by refreshments at the community centre. The opening presentation will be given by Mr. Ahern at 7.15pm followed by Ciaran Mulhooly (formerly of RTE) who will present at 8.15pm. 

On Saturday, 1st June, the event opens with Frank Feighan, T.D. at 10.30am followed by Martin Kenny T.D.  who will offer his presentation at 11.30am. Lunch will take place from 12.30 - 2pm. 

Marian Harkin, T.D will present at 2pm, followed by Senator Niall Blaney at 3pm. Speakers will offer analysis and insights on the social and economic crises being experienced globally in 2024. 

The event may be followed online.  The summer school has successfully gone to a virtual platform since 2020 as well as face to face and has reached out to audiences from the UK, America, Dubai, Switzerland.

This year, we have extended interest to reach out to our diaspora in Australia, New Zealand and Seattle,Washington. They can book the various lectures online or live by clicking in to the link on our website www.seanmacdiarmada.ie 

We look forward to an interesting, engaging and informative event in the Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School of 2024.