New exhibition marks JFK visit
“On his third day in Ireland, JFK landed by helicopter in Cork and made his way to City Hall, where his speech was broadcast by loudspeakers to thousands outside.”
Those were the words of Catherine Healy, historian in residence at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum where a new exhibition marking the 60th anniversary of US President John F Kennedy’s visit to Ireland has just opened.
‘Homecoming: JFK in Ireland’, which runs in Dublin until September, delves into the cultural and political significance of Kennedy's 4 day trip in 1963, utilising original documents, photography, and oral history interviews to convey what the visit meant to Irish politicians, diplomats, and onlookers, the purpose it served during a time of national transition, and how international observers perceived the event.
The visit was filled with fanfare and joyous scenes as Kennedy was welcomed by large crowds in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Wexford, his family’s ancestral county.
Ms Healy said: “The city (Cork) wasn’t included in the original itinerary, but Kennedy had told White House officials that he wanted to visit – and the address he gave here turned out to be one of the most memorable of the trip.”
The illustrated exhibition highlights the pivotal role Kennedy's visit played in strengthening Irish-American relations and shaping a new era of optimism for the country. The themes of the exhibition range from Ireland's rapid modernisation in 1963 to the pomp and ceremony surrounding JFK's visit, the political and diplomatic aspects of the trip, and the lasting legacy of his visit on Irish society. It also explores JFK's Irish heritage and the history of his famine emigrant ancestors, tracing the Kennedys' rise to power and influence.
Nathan Mannion, head of exhibitions and programmes at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, said: “Although there are many US presidents who can lay claim to Irish roots, JFK is probably the most well-known of them all. When he visited Ireland in 1963, the entire nation was won over by his charm, charisma, and genuine affection for the Irish people.
“Of course, the visit also had a significant impact on Irish and US politics, with President Kennedy delivering the first official address by a foreign head of state to the joint houses of the Oireachtas on 28 June.”
‘Homecoming: JFK in Ireland’ was created in collaboration with the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Rachel Flor, executive director at the John F Kennedy Library Foundation, said: “President Kennedy relished his Irish heritage. From the time he was a young boy, he loved to hear stories of his 8 great-grandparents who all migrated to Boston, Massachusetts during the devastating potato famine of the late 1840s.
“As president, his return to Ireland was a homecoming he later described as one of the most moving experiences of his life.”