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Association of European Journalists Irish Section

Welcome to the AEJ Irish Section homepage.

Forum on Europe

At the Forum were (from left) Regina Doherty MEP, Ingrid Miley, Gary Murphy and Ali Ugur.

The late Andrew Sheppard 

Our former colleague, Andrew, one of the founders of the AEJ Irish section and former President of the International section of the AEJ, has died. He was 88. Born in Berlin in 1938, and into a Jewish family, Mr Sheppard managed to survive the war in the German capital...

Climate crisis and the future of our economy

Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party Friday, 12th June, 2026 There is a strong connection between the climate crisis, the cost-of-living crisis and the future of our economy and our workplaces. The connection here is so clear for the working families I...

Prof Scott Lucas addresses AEJ

Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, UCD, was our guest speaker on Friday, 15th May, 2026.  He covered a wide range of issues, including domestic US politics, the Middle East and the wider geopolitical crises.  He...

The Challenge of AI

Address by Dr Elaine Byrne, Chair of the Policing and Community Safety Authority Friday, 20th March, 2026 The Policing and Community Safety Authority, PCSA, was established on 2 April 2025 under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. We are an...

Address by Neale Richmond, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, at the AEJ lunch on Thursday, 29th January, 2026, Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin.

Ireland’s bilateral relationship with the U.S. is built on powerful historical, social and cultural links. Centuries of transatlantic migration have resulted in large Irish-American communities all across the U.S. Almost 32 million people in the U.S. claim Irish...

Eamonn Mallie: Eyewitness to War and Peace

Friday, 28th November, 2025 I've lived an interesting life. I wanted to share it with a wider audience. You always have detractors – people who try to knock you back. I didn't let them impede me. I kept driving on. I was a very lucky journalist. I crossed...

Concern over proliferation of legal challenges – Attorney General Rossa Fanning

Friday, 17th October, 2025. Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin 4. Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC told our gathering that the proliferation of legal challenges to legislation or to decisions by public bodies, especially in the planning and environmental areas, was of...

If you want to run for President you must prepare in advance: Sean Gallagher

Address by Sean Gallagher, former Presidential candidate and entrepreneur, on Friday, 19th September, 2025, at the Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin. Campaigning for the Presidency is very arduous. I ran in both 2011 and 2018 and one of the challenges is securing a place...

Sean Kelly MEP: on plans to run for President

Sean Kelly, Ireland South ME, said there were arguments for and against running for President. Speaking at out lunch on Thursday, 26th June, at the Clarence Hotel in Dublin, the MEP  highlighted comments from Ryanair boss Michael O’ Leary who described the...

Brexit centre stage at AEJ Congress

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charles Flanagan TD, is to give the keynote address on the potential impact of Brexit at a major conference which begins in Kilkenny tomorrow Friday (4th November) which will be attended by journalists from across Europe. Minister...

Minister Denis Naughten on future funding of public sector broadcasting

Speech by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten TD, at the AEJ Lunch, Thursday, October 13th, 2016. Within a few weeks of taking office I announced that I wouldn’t be seeking to introduce a Household Broadcasting Charge in the...

Kilkenny to host AEJ Congress

Kilkenny City is to host a major conference in November, drawing journalists from across Europe. The Association of European Journalists, a representative body for journalists working in over 22 countries in Europe, is to hold its annual Congress in the marble city....

What does “Brexit” mean for Ireland?

With Britain questioning its EU membership, Claire Fox asks what such a 'divorce' would mean for Ireland. Claire is a final year student in UCC studying English and French. This article won the European Commission National Student Media award (Smedia). Claire also won...

James Downey 1933-2016

By Mike Burns To his many thousands of readers he was ‘James Downey’. To colleagues and friends he was simply and affectionately Jim’.To President Michael D. Higgins he was “one of Ireland’s most committed journalists”.Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was “a man of...

Brian Hayes MEP warns of consequences of Britain exiting EU

Brian Hayes MEP address on Friday, 15th April, Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin 2. "I am not convinced that there is enough contingency planning being done at government level on the Brexit referendum. There is an urgent need to put in place a stable government to prepare for...

Judge Moriarty: Judiciary got it wrong on pay cuts

Judge Moriarty: Judiciary got it wrong on pay cuts

Certain members of the Judiciary had got it wrong when they challenged the right of Government to reduce pay during the recent economic crisis, the Honourable Mr Justice Michael Moriarty told members at our first lunch of 2016. Addressing almost 40 members and guests...

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan address to Christmas lunch

Agriculture and Rural Development are part of the Jobs, Growth and Investment priority at the heart of the Juncker Commission. Indeed, I have already begun working with Vice-President Katainen in the Project Team linked to this priority. As a strategic sector,...

Huge year ahead for Ireland and broadcasting

Address by Kevin Bakhurst, Head of News and Current Affairs and Deputy DG, RTE, at speakers lunch Friday, 11th September, 2015 2016 will be a huge year in Ireland – it’s a time to commemorate the Easter Rising and the birth of the Irish State; it’s most likely a time...

From potholes to Rose of Tralee – life and times of late Derek Davis

Derek Davis, who died in Dublin on 13 May at the age of 67 after a brief illness, was a renowned Irish broadcaster. After working as a freelance news reporter  for the American network, ABC, during the years of bitter civil conflict in Northern Ireland  he joined the...

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