Statement on the death of Noel Whelan
Date: Thu 11th Jul, 2019 | 10:13
“It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of Noel Whelan, barrister, well-known political commentator, author and activist.
Propelled by his social justice values, Noel was not only a commentator but a driving force in some of the most important political campaigns of recent times.
Ever mindful, and proud, of his roots in Wexford, Noel Whelan founded the successful Kennedy Summer School, which continues to make a lasting contribution to our collective understanding of Irish-American history and relations.
I was delighted to accept his invitation to speak at it last autumn and experienced the warmth and generosity he showed to both speakers and audience, and the ease with which he merged matters of Irish, American and Wexford history. He did so by having the significant anniversaries of each of these histories celebrated in a most thoughtful way.
As President of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences to his wife Sinéad, his son Séamus, his wider family and friends, and all those who will miss him and his contributions to public life dearly.”