JFK in Ireland: Four Days That Changed a President

by Ryan Tubridy

The fascinating story of the iconic president's trip to Ireland

 

The idolized, handsome, and glamorous John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the great-grandson of Irish immigrants and the first and only Irish-Catholic president of the United States. He relished his Irish heritage and in June 1963 made a memorable four-day trip to his homeland, which he called the best four days of his life. Tragically, five months later he was assassinated. This fully illustrated book reveals the huge effect JFK's visit had on Ireland, a country that at the time was largely agrarian and extremely poor. It includes never-seen-before photos of the president and private documents that reveal how the Irish rejoiced in having a president visit their shore. This book evaluates whether the well-loved president, whose Camelot years some believe would have heralded a golden age, actually inspired Ireland to reinvent itself and instilled pride in the Irish people, or whether the myth of JFK just left behind an idyllic dream of what could have been. This is a fascinating, unique, and insightful read from one of Ireland's most popular personalities.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Ireland, Irish Literature, American History

302 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Ryan Tubridy is one of Ireland’s leading and best-loved media personalities, gracing both the Irish and U.K. airwaves, and he has won numerous awards and accolades. He is best recognized as the current host of the long-running chat show The Late Late Show, and is also the author of a nonfiction book for adult readers, JFK in Ireland: Four Days That Changed a President. Ryan Tubridy lives in Dublin.

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ryan Tubridy's 'JFK In Ireland-Four Days that Changed a President', published in 2010, takes the reader back to the summer of 1963. After a brief biography cum genealogical link of the Kennedy and Fitzgerald lines, we follow the European tour, first into Germany, where JFK made his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, prior to the less political visit to Ireland.
The book stretches to some two hundred and eighty pages, but is punctuated with many photographs throughout. In fact it is the photographic images that really illuminate the passage of fifty years.
Perhaps this book is attractive to readers of Irish as well as American history and also the Kennedy Presidency. Tubridy clearly documents the mark made on the Emerald Isle by JFK's four days of June '63. As for four days that changed a President, I think the events around Cuba of '61 and '62 were such profound experiences that JFK was changed before the 'coming home' visit of '63.
The author also deals with the events of November '63, briefly mentioning the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr Tubridy should remember the word 'alleged'.

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant and elaborately illustrated with photographs, this book covers President Kennedy's emotional trip to his ancestral homeland of Ireland in the summer of 1963. Although not remembered in America, Kennedy's trip was a major event in Irish history and was the coming of age for the small, poor (in 1963) Irish Republic that was struggling to get out from generations of population loss and poverty. Kennedy was greeted as a hero in Dublin, Cork and in New Ross, County Wexford, from where his great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy left to journey to Boston. Great photographs and nostalgia for a time when we knew so little about our public figures that they were still considered heroes.

[Erin Vail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful, interesting look at a highly personal connection between a president and his heritage. Full of fun stories, anecdotes, and context.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really easy to read. All the interesting photos were beautiful addition to the written text. If all my history books were like this, I would be even bigger history nerd as I already am.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was overall OK, not brilliant but just OK. My parents saw JFK in Cork on their honeymoon so it was a bit of nostalgia for me so I enjoyed reading it. Both of my parents are dead now so I guess I wanted more from this book that I didn't get. It was was a bit lifeless in places and more pictures would have helped. Or Video links. I just thought the book was a bit lifeless.

[Althea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures, easy read.

[Beverley Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice easy read which benefits (like the best JFK biographies) in not trying to do too much. A Punchy, focused and well-written look into JFK’s 1963 visit to Ireland.

[Bonnie Finley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offered an interesting glimpse into the Kennedy family's background and the circumstances that lead up to JFK's election as the 35th President of the United States.

The majority of the book focuses on the several days that JFK spent in Ireland in June of 1963. While it illuminates the details of his trip, I felt that the book avoided sounding like a recap of his itinerary. The book was full of photographs from the journey, personal letters and anecdotes from those who had interaction with the president. The quotes from his speeches lent a feeling of knowing JFK as a person, instead of just as a historical political figure.

This was well written, didn't take long to read, and was interesting throughout.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book. There's a lot of the common Irish-American tropes - the soda bread, the red hair, the fightin' Oirish, etc. but Tubridy reveals some interesting and little known vignettes about the event including a quip made by Kennedy in the Dail about Leinster House which didn't go down well at all and was somehow excised from all records and a civil war reconciliation in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery of the Dail. What comes across most is the sheer energy Kennedy received from engaging with people and just when you think he is going to flag under his hectic schedule he meets another crowd and buzzes into life again. J.F.K. comes across as having had a genuine love for the country and Tubridy does well in capturing the excitement of that visit and the pride taken in its success.

[Nicholas Lefevre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preparing for my return to Ireland I took this out of the library. It's a very thorough account of JFK's 1963 trip together with some family history of ancestors and return trips by American descendants. The books ambitions are quite modest and so are its accomplishments. Don't bother to read it unless your have a good reason.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet.

[Maiken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the event that brought Ireland into its own. It was not until I read this book that I fully understood how young a nation Ireland actually is.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed interesting account of his visit, especially for an Irish girl living in the US.

[Jordan Salinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

7.1/10

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice telling of JFK's thinking behind having such affection for Ireland. The illustrations added nicely to the telling.