Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
FORMER TAOISEACH LEO Varadkar will be the keynote speaker at a pro-unity event in Philadelphia in April.
The Ireland’s Future gala dinner will take place on Thursday, 10 April in the Union League building in Philadelphia and around 500 people will be in attendance.
Ireland’s Future is an organisation that aims to promote the “shared responsibility of delivering constitutional change within the framework of the Good Friday Agreement”.
It has held events across the island of Ireland and the US and the organisation’s secretary Niall Murphy said he is “delighted to confirm that Leo Varadkar will be our primary, keynote speaker at a dinner we are organising in Philadelphia”.
Murphy said there is “significant interest and excitement across Irish America in the period building up to the announcement of a border poll”.
He added that Ireland’s Future has been “working hard with key figures from across Irish America and the new American administration allows us a chance to put our position in front of new faces and willing listeners”.
“We are delighted that we have developed relationships on a bipartisan basis and that whether they are Democrats or Republicans, those with an interest in Ireland’s Future are willing to assist and advance our work,” said Murphy.
Varadkar previously delivered an address to an Ireland’s Future event in Dublin’s 3Arena in October 2022, which also featured Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
He also spoke at an Ireland’s Future event in Belfast SSE Arena last summer.
Meanwhile, it was also announced last week that Varadkar is to be a guest lecturer on public leadership as part of his new role as ‘Hauser Leader’ at the university’s Kennedy School Centre.
The Harvard website outlines that Hauser Leaders spend their time on campus advising students and engaging with faculty throughout the academic year.
Other recipients of the title include former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, Nobel Peace Prize laureates Maria Ressa and Tawakkol Karman, and Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.
In his role at the prestigious university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Varadkar will share his leadership experience with students, faculty, and the broader Kennedy School community through guest lecturing, student mentorship, and discussions focused on public leadership, healthcare policy, and international diplomacy.
Discussions focused on “healthcare policy”… not sure how useful Leo will be here, or any Irish politician in fairness.
@Thesaltyurchin: he is a trained medical doctor and he was In charge of the country as we battled covid pandemic. I’m sure his credentials are a lot better than yours sitting on the taxi rank ..
@Ciaran: and given private confidential information to a rival
@Ciaran: oh yeah, he was great at quoting harry Potter and other movie’s!!
Mr V sold out Ireland to the wolves. Let in unknown people in numbers to take over our country and they are mysteriously claiming asylum.
My question is this. Why Ireland and what is Ireland showing to the rest of the world that we Irish can’t access the basic necessities? As there’s waiting lists for everything that we need to access from the NCT to Hospital waiting lists and housing .
@Tommy: disgrace.. I even had to wait in line to pay for my groceries this morning… what a horrible country …
Douche! That is all!
@damien leen: Damien, you must be as delicate as a snowflake to be so upset by this article.
Shows you politicians can stil go on making big bucks while still collecting pension for all did when in power here .
@martin finnegan: But he’s not collecting a pension like most he’s pension will be paid at 65.
@martin finnegan: genuine question ; how much do you call “big bucks?”
@Paul O’Mahoney: i just think he failed irish people when in power sure yet can still go around like he was a success a millionaire yes but not a success
@Ciaran: sorry well paid to talk his career in politics.
who cares..stay there
The journal seems obsessed with Leo, he’s a private citizen and what he does in his life really isn’t important anymore. Let the man live his life.
@Paul O’Mahoney: it’s possibly more to do with the keynote speaker at an Irish unity event being a man who argued against it throughout his career.
@Uí Braonáin: And yet he has attended previous events on the matter.
@Harry Paisley: Right sir name for that comment on fairness Paisley.
A most incompetent individual who will be handsomely rewarded for abject failure.
@Andrew Kenny: isn’t that what we’re all chasing?
United we stand divided we fall, wount be long now!! The anti Unity FFG parties have always been and are the biggest obstacle to everone comming together as one in Ireland the way God intended
He has nothing to offer anyone but the WOKE.
The worst Taoiseach in our nation’s history. I don’t know why people keep giving him an audience and attention. His left-wing progressive policies failed to achieve anything productive in this country and he should not be speaking at any sort of event like this. In any case, Irish Unity itself is a bit of a folly which fails to realise that Northern Ireland runs a budget deficit of nearly 15 billion pounds every year. It’s not a manner of whether there is an “appetite” for joining up the two countries as one, or whatever other word people like to use, we simply can’t afford such a move. We already have a national debt that’s increasing every year. There is no reason why we should burden ourselves with one big welfare hoover that is Northern Ireland.
I’m sorry but we don’t want input from the current political parties in America.
must be looking for a young fella dirty old leo
have your say