University of Limerick Vice-President Kerstin Mey has said the University is “delighted” to continue a partnership with the upcoming I.NY Festival.
The annual event, part of Fáilte Ireland’s Global Irish Festival Series, was launched at King John’s Castle in Limerick this Thursday.
The cultural project explores and celebrates the relationship between Ireland and New York and UL is continuing its founding partnership with I.NY in 2019.
Focusing on the personal stories of the Irish in and of New York, I.NY welcomes and tells those stories through conversation and debate, interviews and performances, cultural and political discourse, music, literature, film, fashion, food, sport and arts events.
Kerstin Mey, VP for Academic Affairs and Student Engagement at UL, said: “The University of Limerick is pleased to partner in the forthcoming I.NY Festival 2019. Building on our strong Alumni and Foundation relations to New York, we are delighted to contribute with our expertise to what promises to be vibrant cultural exchanges and celebrations.”
This year’s festival programme will feature a line-up of dynamic, unique and sometimes challenging events with key contributions from a host of guests who personify the depth and breadth of the Ireland-New York relationship.
Headline guests include writer and actor Malachy McCourt, NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill, and the return to the festival of Dr Jane O’Meara Sanders, political activist and senior adviser to US Senator Bernie Sanders. Also appearing will be Limerick-born Booker Prize-nominated author Kevin Barry, WearingIrish founder and Siegel+Gale Global CMO Margaret Molloy, world-renowned fiddle player Martin Hayes and award-winning author and broadcaster John Kelly.
In continuing founding partnerships with Fáilte Ireland, Limerick City and County Council and UL, I.NY said it was also proud to announce new partnerships with Shannon Heritage and The Irish Times, both of whom share a focus on stories of culture and diaspora.
I.NY Festival Founder and Director David O’Donovan, a UL graduate, said: “Our small team are genuinely delighted to announce details of the third I.NY Festival. There are guests in the programme this year that we’ve been working to get to the Festival for some time and we’re very much looking forward to hearing their stories.
“Our intention is that I.NY Festival will cause ideas, start conversations, begin friendships, and entertain audience and artist alike.
“We are grateful for the support, enthusiasm and generosity of thought of our many partners, and really looking forward to welcoming friends, family, guests and audience, from Ireland and New York, back to the festival. It’ll be a great few days.”
Other panellists, moderators, speakers and performers travelling to Limerick for the festival include Dr Miriam Nyhan Historian and Director of Irish American Studies at Glucksman Ireland House at NYU, J.P. O’Meara, VP at Ralph Lauren New York, Brooklyn and Manhattan club owner and LGBTQ activist Brenda Breathnach, Google Creative Labs’ Mary Leonard, Qool DJ Marv of HBO and NYC’s Soho House, Rugby Union New York Founder/Owner James Kennedy, Irish Times Arts & Culture Editor and Inside Politics podcast host Hugh Linehan, and IrishCentral Managing Editor Kate Hickey, plus Irish DJs Donal Dineen, Aoife Nic Canna and Niall Colgan, and a return to I.NY for Dublin’s Mother DJs.
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Michael Sheahan said: “I.NY gives a perfect platform to discuss our relationship, past and present with New York and indeed the wider United States. I am looking forward to the wide range of events taking place during the festival, and welcome visitors to Limerick.
“The idea has such a rich vein of interesting topics that can be mined and brought to fruition. I.NY has grown in stature over the past number of years into what is becoming a ‘must-see’ festival in Limerick.”
The I.NY Festival is part of the Global Irish Festival Series, an initiative of Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I.NY Festival 2019 is made possible with the generous support of Fáilte Ireland, Limerick City and County Council, University of Limerick, Shannon Heritage, The Irish Times, and the hotels, venues, businesses and audiences of Limerick.
For more, see www.thisisINY.com.