This year’s Kennedy Summer School in New Ross, Co Wexford, is to include a discussion on how the media covers high-profile criminal trials.

The panel discussion, which takes place on Saturday 4 September, will be moderated by Ken Murphy (pictured), who earlier this year retired from his role as director general of the Law Society.

A number of leading journalists will share their experiences of covering criminal trials, and will take an in-depth look at some of the broader issues that they have brought to the fore.

The panel members are:

• Frank Greaney (journalist and broadcaster),
• Órla O’Donnell (RTÉ legal affairs correspondent),
• Vivienne Traynor (RTÉ News courts reporter), and
• Conor Gallagher (Irish Times crime correspondent).

Tommie Gorman interview

The event, a festival of Irish and American history, culture and politics, was founded by the late political analyst Noel Whelan. It takes place on the weekend of 3-4 September.

The venue is St Michael’s Theatre in New Ross, where social distancing and other appropriate precautionary measures will be in place. Some guest speakers will attend the event in person, while others will participate remotely.

One of the highlights will be a public interview with RTÉ’s long-time Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman, in conversation with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The event will officially start with an interview with Professor Luke O’Neill of Trinity College.