Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE 50-YEAR anniversary of the historic visit of President John F Kennedy to Ireland is to be celebrated with 12 months of events in Wexford.
The plans for a year of events to celebrate President Kennedy’s visit to New Ross, County Wexford were unveiled today at Government buildings by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD.
Wexford visit
Kennedy, or JFK as he was popularly known, was the 35th President of the United States of America and received a rapturous welcome on a visit to his ancestral homeland back in 1963.
Thousands of well wishers turned out for his arrival at New Ross town, which was from where Patrick Kennedy, his great-grandfather, had set sail for America back in 1848 during the potato famine.
In his speech at the quayside in New Ross the President told onlookers:
When my great-grandfather left here to become a cooper in East Boston he carried nothing with him except two things – a strong religious faith and a strong desire for liberty. I am glad to say that all of his grandchildren have valued that inheritance.
From New Ross the President travelled four miles south to his ancestral homestead in Dunganstown, where he was reunited with his cousins.
He then went on to Wexford Town, where he laid a wreath at the statue of Wexfordman Commodore John Barry, who is known as the Father of the American Navy.
Watershed event
Unveiling the 2013 JFK 50 Programme of Events, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the visit “was a watershed event in recent Irish history”.
It remains one of the most significant visits by a Head of State to Ireland and has had a lasting effect which resonated in the visit of President Obama and is recalled every year on our St Patrick’s Day visits to the States.I have long been an admirer of President Kennedy and often recall words from his extraordinary speeches, like his address to the Irish Parliament almost 50 years ago when he described the qualities of the Irish as ‘a remarkable combination of hope, confidence and imagination – that is needed more than ever today’.
Chairman of New Ross Town Council, Councillor Paul Crowdle, said that New Ross remembers the visit of JFK “with great pride and fondness”.
Shaun Quinn CEO of Failte Ireland said that they are delighted to be working with the team behind JFK 50.
Events
Many major events will take place in New Ross during 2013 to mark the 50 year anniversary.
This will include:
In November of 2013, ‘The Remembering’ will take place. As part of this, a wreath will be laid at the Kennedy Statue in New Ross town to honour and remember the memory of John F Kennedy, and a mass will also be held as part of the day of remembrance on November 22.
The US President visited Ireland in June – he was assassinated just months later, on 22 November 1963, during a visit to Dallas, Texas.
As part of marking the 50 years since his death, the JFK 50 website has been set up, which contains archive footage, pictures and information on the late president and his legacy.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Looks like a scene from New Delhi.
@OConnelj: Probably a used vehicle export load to an African country – it’s where a lot of our old vehicles end up. Still, these vehicles should be loaded more safely than this while still in Ireland.
Using nylon straps to hold them vehicles down is not only reckless but also illegal
A right Langer load.
@Alan Foy: yes and a big fine
Surely tractors are not legally allowed to do this as I thought their insurance only covered them for moving agricultural equipment from field to field and within a certain milage.
@Ian James Burgess: nope they can drive length and breath of the country with a trailer hauling anything that fits in it at 16 years of age and with no experience.
@Ian James Burgess: it could be under commercial insurance.
@Ian James Burgess: no DOE test, no tacho on tractors and a 16 y/o can drive it.
I grew up on a farm years ago,the farmers with their tractors don’t realise whether it’s on a country lane or on a main road,they travel the same way,even to this day where I live,if your behind someone in a tractor or jeep,u always keep well back,because they do be looking in over the ditches seen what’s on other people’s land,they could stop all of a sudden,or swerve..
I also don’t see a single number plate on any of the trucks or the trailer…
@Bertie: You don’t need them with the red diesel, Boss.
With the trucks on the truck and the truck on the truck and the truck on the trailer and the trailer on the tractor and the tractor in the tunnel………..O – Ro the rattlin’ trucks
@John Costello: quality
Cyclists fault
Definition of muppet
A truck towing truck towing towing trucks
This is not an agricultural load, so the tractor must have commercial diesel, commercial tax, commercial insurance and be certified roadworthy. Same for the trailer including weight limits of 10ton per axel. Height limit is 4.65m as already mentioned and if the Garda is unhappy with the safety of the load, there can be prosecutions. Driver must have a full commercial licence and be over 18. Those are the rules. Most of the comments here are rubbish and disinformation.
@Liam Dunne: care to post a link to where you got that information?
@Liam Dunne: the reason I ask is because it’s none of what you mentioned in the rules of the road. It’s not on the rsa website. Look forward to seeing where you got it from. If you can’t provide it I’ll take it as BS
I grew up in Ennis,my Da was a rep for Guinness, when I was about 8 I remember a day on the road back to Ennis from Kilrush ,my Da slowed down to about 5 mph,there were trucks tractors and cars behind us, I gave em the finger out the back window
Can’t park there mate.
4.6 metres is a very generous height limit.
The tallest double deck buses are 4.4 metres
Max authorised height for HGV’s is 4 metres.
@Nomis Andrews: incorrect. The maximum legal height is 4.65m for trucks. And truck over that height can obtain a permit to travel
@John Webb: Yeah so if your truck is 4.65m (a legal height) then you can’t travel through the tunnel – lack of foresight
Old news ….. Cork Beo had this up this morning…..ye dubs really need to get the finger out
@Joe_X: We were too busy laughing and trying not to make culchie jokes about it. The tractor pulling all this in the City jumps tops the story off.
We were being nice and we get slagged for being nice.
Vehicle smuggling, langer style.
It’s like Inception…..a truck within a truck within a truck!
@Joe Kennedy: STUCK
If its on its gone.
A way to avoid using a tacho.
The vehicular equivalent of a turducken.
Congratulations on a fine headline, that must have been fun to compose!
have your say