Iconic Glenties MacGill Summer School finds itself ‘On the Brink’ 

The annual and by now iconic MacGill Summer School, in association with University of Notre Dame, will once again take place in Glenties from July 18-20 at its traditional and popular stomping ground of the Highlands Hotel.

Each year it attracts an eclectic mix of national and international politicians, academics, ambassadors, journalists, free thinkers and a host of leading lights garnered from across a broad spectrum of life including some of our country’s greatest poets and performing artists.

It has been a veritable who's who of the movers and shakers on this island for over three decades.

Contributors often use the opportunity to look beyond the parameters of their closely guarded thoughts within their own professions or careers, by floating the odd kite, in an attempt to gauge or possibly to engage the wider public with thoughts and ideas on a range of contemporary issues that affect Irish society and beyond. 

ABOVE: Dr Joe Mulholland had been a mainstay of the MacGill Summer school since 1981

Some of this year’s discussions based on the overriding theme of ‘On the Brink’ will include:

Election Security in an era of AI, Do we need immigration?, Intelligence in a turbulent world: The New Zealand experience, Extremism, Threats & Espionage: Is Ireland ready?, The future of media and public service broadcasting, Northern Ireland: Past, present & future, What if Trump wins?, Beyond GDP: How will Ireland spend its billions? and have we lost the run of ourselves? 

The MacGill Summer School itself is “considered one of Ireland’s international forums for thought leaders to discuss the critical issues facing Ireland, Europe and the world”.  

Founded in 1981 in memory of local writer Patrick MacGill (1889-1963), its website states that it has grown from very modest beginnings to being one of the most important fora in Ireland for the analysis of topics of national and international interest.

“One of the attractions of MacGill is its openness.  It is open to anyone to join in and engage with major public figures by asking questions and proposing answers.  Hallmarks of the school are its complete impartiality, rigour and objectivity, as well as the choice of contributors,” it states.

One of the more popular additions down the years has been the annual John Hume Lecture, the much lamented Nobel laureate who was a regular contributor to the Donegal summer school down the years and who died in 2020.

Some of the declared runners so far at this year’s school include Environment Minister Eamon Ryan; Mark Little Media Entrepreneur;  Prof Roja Fazaeli Professor in Law and Islmic Studies at the University of Galway; Prof Ciaran Martin CB, University of Oxford & Founding Chief Executive of UK National Cyber Security Centre at GCHQ, Sorcha Pollak Irish Times; Carole Coleman, RTE; Jess Majekodunmi, Design Historian; Dr. James Carr, University of Limerick; Deputy James Lawless, TD Fianna Fáil & Chair of the Committee on Justice; Prof. Edward Burke, Assistant Professor in the History of War since 1945 at University College Dublin; Brigadier Phil McKee, Former Director General of New Zealand Security & Intelligence Services; Shona Murray, Euronews; Sarah Carey, Irish Independent; Prof. John O’Brennan, Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration at Maynooth University; Prof. Robert Schmuhl, Inaugural Walter H. Annenberg-Edmund P. Joyce Chair in American Studies and Journalism at University of Notre Dame; Prof. Brigid Laffan, Chair of University of Limerick; Prof. Stephen Kinsella, University of Limerick; Dr. Emma Howard, Technological University of Dublin; Siún Ní Raghallaigh, Former Chair of RTÉ & Former Chair of TG4; Prof. Brian MacCraith, Chair of Future of Media Commission (2020 – 2022) and former President of Dublin City University, Noel Doran, former Editor of Irish News; Prof. Maura Conway, Paddy Moriarty Professor of Government and International Studies at Dublin City University; Paraic O’Brien, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Channel 4 News; Caitríona Heinl, Executive Director, Azure Forum; Jude Webber, Ireland Correspondent, Financial Times;  Prof. Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics, DCU; Prof. Barry O’Sullivan, Professor of AI, University College Cork; Prof. Hannah Daly, Professor in Sustainable Energy, UCC; Dr. James Carr, Department of Sociology, University of Limerick and Lawrence Donnelly, Lecturer, University of Limerick.

Closer to home former Tánaiste and Donegal GAA Chair Mary Coughlan and Pearse Doherty TD will also be making contributions and the list of contributors may see both additions and amendments in the interim.