Maria Steen, Peadar Tóibín and Olympic medallist Kenneth Egan among this year’s guests
A high-profile line-up of speakers has been announced for this year’s Percy French Festival, which will run from Wednesday, July 15th to Friday, July 17th.
The three-day programme will feature lectures, discussions, recitals and garden openings, with contributors from the worlds of politics, media, sport, culture and public life.
Among the headline speakers is Maria Steen, who will deliver the keynote address on Friday, July 17th. Ms Steen, a writer, commentator, barrister and mother-of-five, studied Architecture at University College Dublin before qualifying as a barrister and practising at the Bar.
She has been a regular contributor to national media and has taken part in several constitutional referendum debates. Last year, she came close to securing a Presidential election nomination, having obtained 18 of the required 20 Oireachtas signatures.
Ms Steen’s keynote address is entitled Unravelling the Other Golden Thread. She will also take part in a panel discussion chaired by Paul Healy, alongside John McGuirk, James Bradshaw and another guest to be confirmed.
Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín will also feature in this year’s programme. Mr Tóibín, who founded Aontú after leaving Sinn Féin, will speak on Thursday, July 16th on The Crisis in Irish Identity.
Olympic boxing silver medallist Kenneth Egan is another major name on the programme. Mr Egan, who won silver for Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will speak on Wednesday, July 15th on From the Podium to Despair, reflecting on his journey through elite sport, personal challenges, recovery and resilience.
The festival will open on Wednesday morning with a welcome from Cllr Domnick Connolly, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, followed by a talk from Dr Brian Griffin on Percy French, Sportsman: An Obscured Aspect of His Identity.
Other speakers across the three days include Dr Mark Henry, Dr Gretta Mohan, Kevin Finnerty, James Bradshaw, Marie Louise O’Donnell, Sarah Ryan and John McGuirk.
The programme will also include afternoon recitals, with performances and presentations from Tommy McDermott, Michael Banahan, Paul McDonald and The Fuerty Ensemble, and Col Ceathair.
The festival will conclude on Friday afternoon with Percy French and Roscommon, presented by Col Ceathair, followed by the opening of the gardens at 4 pm.
