JFK in Ireland

Last year, 2017, was the centenary of the birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. There were commemorative events all over the country. There is currently an on-going exhibition at the JFK museum in Hyannis.

Patrick Kennedy, the great-grandfather of John, Bobby and Teddy, and Bridget Murphy, their great-grandmother left Dunganstown, Co. Wexford, in 1848 at the height of the devastating famine. Thomas Fitzgerald and Rosanna Cox, the other great-grandparents emigrated in the 1850’s to escape the same devastating famine.

The talk will feature video of the ancestral homesteads and footage of his visit in Ireland in June of 1963, including excerpts from his speeches while there. The presentation includes his favorite song “The Boys of Wexford”, a song about the heroism of the Wexford people who rose against the British in the 1798 Rebellion.

The narration will be by an Irish historian, Sean Murphy. An electronic copy of the presentation will be provided.

This program is free but please register at cotuitlibrary.org/events or contact the Library.