The MacGill Summer School, in association with University of Notre Dame, is Ireland's international forum for thought leaders to discuss the critical issues facing the country, Europe, and our world.
The MacGill Summer School was founded by Dr. Joe Mulholland over forty years ago in the small town of Glenties in County Donegal and has grown from very modest beginnings to being one of the most important fora in Ireland for the analysis of topics of national and international interest.
It has consistently been a source of innovative and fresh thinking on a range of social, economic, and political ideas. Every July it brings together government ministers, parliamentarians, heads of industry, trade union leaders, economists, sociologists, church leaders and a broad range of public representatives from the North and South of Ireland, and beyond.
In 2025 the event will take place at The Highlands Hotel on July 17th-19th and is in association with University of Notre Dame.
Schedule Highlights 2025
A Fractured World
11.00 Opening of MacGill School 2025: Ireland in a Fractured World
12.00 Ireland’s Business Model 2.0
13.15 Break
14.30 Making Ireland the Best Place In the World to Grow Up?
15.45 Break
16.15 Caught in the Crossfire: Ireland, Trump, and the China Dilemma
17.30 Break
20.00 The Case For and Against a United Ireland
21.30 CLOSE
* Programme is subject to change
A Fractured World
10.15 Welcome to Day 2
10.20 Has the Constitution Atrophied?
11.30 Break
11.45 Fractured Communities: From Disconnection to Discord
13.00 Break
14.30 Taboo Ideas to Transform Ireland?
15.45 Break
16.15 Man Made: Masculinity, Media & Power
17.30 Break
20.00 Onion Bajis and Sausage Sodas w/ Lata Sharma
21.30 CLOSE
* Programme is subject to change
A Fractured World
11.00 Welcome of Day 3
11.05 The View from the UK
12.00 Break
12.15 Fractured World Order: Where Does Europe Stand?
13.30 Break
14.30 Why is Liberalism Failing?
15.45 Break
16.00 Northern Ireland in a Fractured World
17.00 Break
20.00 Let’s Talk About The Presidency
21.30 Close of MacGill Summer School 2025
* Programme is subject to change
- Thursday, July 17th
-
A Fractured World
11.00 Opening of MacGill School 2025: Ireland in a Fractured World
12.00 Ireland’s Business Model 2.0
13.15 Break
14.30 Making Ireland the Best Place In the World to Grow Up?
15.45 Break
16.15 Caught in the Crossfire: Ireland, Trump, and the China Dilemma
17.30 Break
20.00 The Case For and Against a United Ireland
21.30 CLOSE
* Programme is subject to change
- Friday, July 18th
-
A Fractured World
10.15 Welcome to Day 2
10.20 Has the Constitution Atrophied?
11.30 Break
11.45 Fractured Communities: From Disconnection to Discord
13.00 Break
14.30 Taboo Ideas to Transform Ireland?
15.45 Break
16.15 Man Made: Masculinity, Media & Power
17.30 Break
20.00 Onion Bajis and Sausage Sodas w/ Lata Sharma
21.30 CLOSE
* Programme is subject to change
- Saturday, July 19th
-
A Fractured World
11.00 Welcome of Day 3
11.05 The View from the UK
12.00 Break
12.15 Fractured World Order: Where Does Europe Stand?
13.30 Break
14.30 Why is Liberalism Failing?
15.45 Break
16.00 Northern Ireland in a Fractured World
17.00 Break
20.00 Let’s Talk About The Presidency
21.30 Close of MacGill Summer School 2025
* Programme is subject to change
