June – Trinity College, Journalism, and Summer in Dublin

Trinity College Dublin and the Long Room Hub held an enlightening symposium on Journalism - Behind the Headlines. This featured two panel talks, followed by a talk by Bruce Shapiro, Executive Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, on the issues facing journalists and lecturers in journalism as they do their work, including PTSD, and the supports they require.

Deirdre McCarthy, Managing Director, News and Current Affairs, RTE, told us about public service broadcasting expanding to stay relevant.

We heard that journalism is rooted in the community, but today's media workers may be overwhelmed by the rush of news, chatter, and need for speed in processing and reporting. Verification is more relevant than ever, with inaccurate, deliberately fake or extreme content abounding on social media. At the same time, non-traditional channels may be the only way a citizen journalist in a war zone can get reports to the world. Historians agree that archives help establish the truth and provide a record for the future.

Some educational and media institutions are being defunded or losing sales, with attacks from many directions. But the hope for the future was agreed to be that young people are actively seeking news and current affairs, on many platforms and types of media; and they need to be trained to recognise attempts at manipulation. Bruce Shapiro particularly remarked on the persistence of modern myth as a way of vilifying part of a community on no real grounds whatsoever.

The packed lecture theatres all afternoon and evening reflected the ongoing interest in the topic from media, educators and members of the public.

I learned that author Peter Morwood has died after a brief illness; he was a regular guest at Octocons with his wife Diane Duane.
They authored Star Trek books and fantasy. I had the honour and the pleasure of participating in a panel on dragons with both Peter and Diane. On one Octocon panel, Peter brought a collection of medieval swords, maces and hammers for us to admire. Peter was awarded a Golden Blaster for his contribution to the Irish SF scene. He will be sadly missed.

I enjoyed covering the launch of a book about the crow family in Ireland. Encounters With Corvids is filled with memorable accounts of meeting these birds in the wild as the author Fionn O’Marcaigh went about his college scientific research. This launch was held in the Gutter Bookshop in Temple Bar.

Allan and I went to Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park on a sunny Saturday, to a talk on neighbours of the Guinness family, who used to own the house. One wealthy lady of the day is considered the model for Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. Winston Churchill lived nearby as a child. We had lunch there and enjoyed the gardens and lake.

This month I am making a summer book free. You can download Dining Out With The Gas Giants 26 – 29 June.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0150KLQIE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0150KLQIE

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