New EPIC exhibition recalls JFK’s historic Irish visit

A fascinating new exhibition at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, marks 60-years since the visit of John F Kennedy to Ireland.

‘Homecoming: JFK in Ireland’ is a beautifully curated exhibition that delves into the cultural and political significance of the four-day trip to Ireland in 1963 by the 35th President of the United States.

Created in collaboration with the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, it uses original documents, photography and oral history interviews to convey what the visit meant to Irish politicians, diplomats and onlookers. It also considers how international observers perceived the event, which happened during a time of national transition in Ireland.

Running from 7 June until 4 September 2023, this richly illustrated exhibition highlights the pivotal role Kennedy’s visit played in strengthening IrishAmerican relations and shaping a new era of optimism for the country. In fact, President Kennedy delivered the first official address by a foreign Head of State to the joint houses of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament).

The visit itself was filled with fanfare and joyous scenes as Kennedy was welcomed by large crowds in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick plus in New Ross and Wexford town, in his family’s ancestral county. The President later described it as one of the most moving experiences of his life.

The themes of the exhibition range from Ireland’s rapid modernisation in the 1960s to the pomp and ceremony surrounding JFK’s visit. The exhibition also looks at the political and diplomatic aspects of the trip and the lasting legacy of his visit on Irish society.

In addition, ‘Homecoming’ explores JFK’s Irish heritage and the history of his ancestors who emigrated during Ireland’s Great Famine, tracing the Kennedys’ rise to power and influence.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is a multi-award-winning museum that honours the Irish diaspora and recognises the vital contributions and monumental impact Irish people have made worldwide.

Situated on the banks of the River Liffey, it tells the moving stories of those who left Ireland, across 20-interactive galleries, all packed with tales of adventure, adversity and triumph. They reveal why over 10-million people left Ireland, where they went and what influence they had on the world across music, literature, sport, politics, fashion, science and more. www.ireland.com