As part of their literature and humanities programme the Irish Arts Center will play host to two nights of political cabaret. The evenings will feature Irish economist David McWilliams, President Obama’s "Car Czar" and MSNBC Morning Joe economic analyst Steven Rattner and Executive Director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant's Rights Angela Fernandez as well as RTE's Late Late Show House Band front-man Paddy Cullivan.

“One Slump or Two? Ireland, Europe, the U.S. and the Great Recession, on Tuesday March 5th, will bring together David McWilliams and Steven Rattner in what the Center describes as “economy-meets-comedy political cabaret”.

Rattner joins one of Ireland's leading commentators and best-selling authors, David McWilliams,  and Ireland's equivalent to Saturday Night Live's Paul Shaffer - RTE's Late Late Show House Band front-man Paddy Cullivan  - for a lively discussion on politics and the economy with comedy and performance.

“The Wearing of the Green Cards? Immigration Reform and the American Promise”, will take place on Wednesday March 6th with special  guest Angela Fernandez. The event promises a tuneful, interactive evening of comedy, conversation and current events.

For more information visit www.IrishArtsCenter.org.

David McWilliams

David Mc Williams is one of Ireland’s leading economic commentators. He was the first economist to see that the Irish boom was nothing more than a credit bubble and one of the very few to accurately predict it would all end in a monumental crash with bank failures, negative equity and rising unemployment and emigration.

He is an economist, broadcaster, bestselling author and most recently, he has brought economics to the national theatre with his one-man-show “Outsiders” — a unique partnership with the Abbey Theatre.

Steven Rattner

Steven Rattner is Chairman of Willett Advisors LLC, the investment arm for New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s personal and philanthropic assets. In addition, he is a Contributing Writer for the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, the author of a monthly column for the Financial Times and the Economic Analyst for MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Previously, Mr. Rattner served as Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury and led the Obama Administration’s successful effort to restructure the automobile industry, which he chronicled in his book, Overhaul: An Insider’s Account of the Obama Administration’s Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry.

Angela Fernandez


Angela Fernandez is a graduate of Columbia University School of Law who has 20 years professional experience in law, media, non-profit management, government, policy development and advocacy. Her public interest law experience includes working with the Center for Human Rights Legal Aid in Cairo, Egypt and providing pro bono legal services through the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Paddy Cullivan

Paddy Cullivan is a singer, songwriter, comedian, satirist, writer, Radio and Television contributor, awards Presenter and Host. In the last year Paddy has performed his solo Musical Comedy show at Festivals such as Mindfield, Kilkenomics, Cuirt, the Earagail Arts Festival, the Trim Swift Satire Festival, the Dalkey Book Festival, the Electric Picnic, Dun Laoghaire Mountains to the Sea Festival, Body and Soul and recently supported the Blanks on their six-date Irish tour in venues like the Cork Opera House, the Helix and the Academy.