2008 - speakers
"Are the media above the law?"
Sheila Reilly
Sheila Reilly is the Editor of the Longford Leader newspaper. She joined the newspaper in 2001 as a reporter and was appointed Deputy Editor in 2005. She was appointed to her current role in 2006. A graduate of DCU, she also previously worked in the Longford News. She is a native of Mullahoran where she is a member of the local variety group and GAA club.
Paul Reynolds
Paul Reynolds is a broadcaster and writer and was appointed as the first RTE Crime Correspondent in 1996. He reports on the activities of major criminals and the criminal justice system. He is also the author of two books on drugs and prostitution in Ireland;King Scum - the Life and Times of Tony Felloni about the heroin trade in Ireland and Sex in the City about Ireland’s prostitution rackets.
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers is a journalist author and broadcaster. He currently writes for the Irish Independent, and is a former contributor to The Irish Times, where he wrote the "An Irishman's Diary" column several times weekly. He also wrote for the Sunday Telegraph. His articles often offer criticism of left-wing opinion and the "liberal consensus". He has presented Today FM's "The Last Word" on many occasions.
Tadhg Carey
Tadhg Carey is editor of the Westmeath Independent and Offaly Independent newspapers, charting both papers through a time of great change in the media industry and landscape in the country.A long-time Athlone resident, he has worked in both print and broadcastacross the midlands and isa regular contributor to national media.
Michael Commane
Michael Commane is a Dominican priest, teacher and journalist. He works as a press officer with Concern, Ireland’s largest aid agency. He is a regular contributor to Newstalk and is the ‘MC’ in ‘The Thinking Anew’ column in The Irish Times. As a sub editor with The Kerryman for seven years he wrote a popular column for the newspaper. He also contributed a weekly column to Radio Kerry.
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a Fianna Fail TD for Longford-Westmeath. First elected to the Dail in 1982 she has served as Minister for Education, Health and Public Enterprise. She was Leader of Seanad Éireann from 2002-2007. She is sister of the late Brian Lenihan, Dáil Deputy and Minister and daughter of PJ Lenihan, Dáil Deputy 1965-70, and aunt of Minister Brian and Deputy Conor Lenihan.
Denis Naughten
Denis Naughten has been a TD for Fine Gael since 1997 . He is current Spokesperson on Immigration and Integration having previously served as Spokesperson on Agriculture & Food and Transport. . He is co-author of the Joint Oireachtas Committee report on School Transport in Ireland and on Science & Technology. He is son of the late Liam Naughten who was a Dáil Deputy from 1982 to 1989.
Ciaran Mullooly
Ciaran Mullooly is a senior RTE News Correspondent and a former winner of the AT Cross National Media Awards. He is a weekly columnist with Alpha Newspapers and the Roscommon Champion. He has worked as RTE Midlands Correspondent since 1996 and his first book 'Death on Holy Thursday - the shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara' was published by Blackwater Press in November of 2006.
Declan McCormack
Declan McCormack, was born in Athlone, and is a practicing freelance journalist who has written for several national, local and international publications. A published short story writer and playwright he is also a trained historian. He is currently engaged in writing ‘the great world novel’ (entitled God’s Folly) while trying to earn some shekels by means of his sporadic Grub Street scribblings.
Cormac MacConnell
Cormac MacConnell was born in Co. Fermanagh. He lived for many years in Galway, working as a journalist and writer. He is a well-known columnist, in both Ireland and the United States. He has also written a novel about Gaelic football called Final Moments. He currently lives in County Clare where he is a news editor and on-air presenter with Clare FM Radio Station.
Frank McNally
Frank McNally was born close to the border in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, a fact which he says, “makes him equally mistrusted by people on both sides”. A former civil servant, he turned to journalism, where, “he learned to make a long story short”. He is now a reporter and columnist for the Irish Times where he pens the always popular, “An Irishman’s Diary” column.
Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald grew up on a farm in Co. Cork and now lives in Mullingar. He graduated from in Agricultural Science from UCD and has worked as an Agricultural Consultant. He has travelled widely and published a number of poetry collections, including “Face to the Wind”, “Harmony” and “Celtic Fire”. His poetry often deals with the isolation and vulnerability of individuals.
Vera Hughes
Vera Hughes, herself an accomplished writer, published historian, and poet will read posthumously from her son Niall’s collection, “At First Light”. Niall died tragically aged 47 in 2007. He had a great love of music, of the theatre, a generous and practical concern for social outcasts and finally a deep love of the environment which is as evident in his poetry as it is in Goldsmith’s pastoral poetry.
Jean O'Brien
Jean O'Brien was born and lives in Dublin. She has published widely in Magazines, including; The Irish Times and Poetry Ireland Review. Her work has featured on RTE Radio I and Lyric FM. She was the administrator for the National Poetry Competition and a founding member of Dublin Writers Workshop. She has many published collections of poetry including “Working the Flow” & “The Shadow Keeper”