Sir, – Ciarán Connolly (August 20th) writes that the theme of the Parnell Summer School this year – “Parnell and Kennedy: Lost Leaders” – was, in his view, particularly silly. He is entitled to his opinion. Your readers should know, however, that he did not attend any session of the summer school.
Given this is the 50th anniversary of John F Kennedy’s “homecoming” visit to this country and of his assassination, the Parnell Summer School wanted to mark these events which had such a huge impact upon us here in Ireland. The impact of Kennedy’s death invites comparison with the impact of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell. The shadow that Parnell’s death cast upon the Irish psyche has been memorably captured in the writings of James Joyce and WB Yeats – and Kennedy’s death had a similar effect, though on a wider, worldwide canvas. This is why we thought it appropriate to link these two remarkable men in the programme for the summer school this year.
The aim of the Parnell Society in organising its annual summer school is to explore the relevance of Parnell and the politics of his era to modern Ireland. I think the focus in this year’s summer school on the parallels between Parnell and Kennedy added an extra dimension to this quest for greater understanding of the past and present, and I am confident that those who attended fully appreciated that. – Yours, etc,
FELIX M LARKIN,
Academic Director, Parnell
Summer School 2013,
Vale View Lawn, Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.