Northern Ireland Political Activist Gerry Adams to Speak at St. John's University

Sinn Fein Leader to Make Only University Appearance on U.S. Tour, March 14

St. John's University will welcome Northern Ireland political activist Gerry Adams to its Queens campus, where he will address "The Irish Peace Process -- An International Model for Conflict Resolution,” during a public forum to the university community at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.

Adams’ week-long tour will first stop at St. John's (the only university on his four-city schedule) and move on to Washington, D.C., Buffalo, N.Y. and Holyoke, Massachusetts to participate in the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade celebration.

Adams, president of Sinn Fein, the only political party to have seats in the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, travels to the U.S. each year to coincide with St. Patrick's Day and speak on behalf of political issues that affect his homeland.

"We are very fortunate to have Mr. Gerry Adams speak at St. John's," said Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John's University. "Mr. Denis P. Kelleher, chairman of our Board of Trustees, secured Mr. Adams’ appearance. He is a well-known activist and vibrant keynote speaker who will share his opinions on peace with our University community."

Sinn Fein is the largest group in the Republican wing of Irish nationalism. For the past 22 years, Adams has been president of Sinn Fein; the third-largest party in Ireland by vote share, although the entire island only votes together at European elections. Sinn Fein recently displaced the previously dominant nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party in national elections. It is a much smaller political force, in electoral terms, in the Republic of Ireland.

Adams will appear at a pre-speech press conference at 3 p.m., prior to the public forum, at the St. John’s University School of Law located on the Queens campus.

All media RSVP for the press conference should be directed to Myrna Carrera in the St. John's University Office of Media Relations by calling (718) 990-1621 or e-mail inquiries to carreram@stjohns.edu.