Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
In this film from 2013, John Murphy of Carrig-on-Bannow recalls to Michael how when he was six years old when he travelled to Ross with his parents, his aunt Kathleen and his brother Nick to see President John F. Kennedy during his visit to Ireland. His father, the mouth-organ player Phil Murphy, was a musician in the band playing for Kennedy’s arrival, so the family arrived very early and got a place right at the railings.
He remembers the excitement of the day, particularly seeing helicopters overhead for the first time. Kennedy eventually came very close to the family, and the speaker vividly remembers him rubbing his head — a moment that stayed with him because Kennedy was such an iconic figure.
Years later, the speaker was contacted by a cousin who had seen a photograph on the Journal.ie website. The National Library of Ireland was trying to identify the young boy pictured with Kennedy. The speaker was amazed to discover that the photograph showed him, his mother and his aunt Kathleen standing near Kennedy. He provided the information needed to identify them and was subsequently invited to Dublin for the launch of the National Library's website. He received a large copy of the photograph as a memento and jokes at the end about temporarily taking down a Wexford hurling team picture to display it instead.
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As part of the 'JFK 50 The Homecoming' Programme in 2013, the Arts Department of Wexford County Council commissioned Michael Fortune to produce a series of short films based on the un-documented histories and stories surrounding the visit of the late John F. Kennedy to Co. Wexford in June 1963. This brief, but highly influential visit to Wexford, left a lasting legacy on the history of county, in particular in the town of New Ross and its immediate surrounds.
This short film was recorded with John Murphy of Carrig-on-Bannow.
The completed films were show at the JFK Homecoming event in New Ross, Co. Wexford on Saturday the 22nd of June, while they will also be presented in the temporary New Ross Community Museum which was established for the celebrations.
In this film from 2013, John Murphy of Carrig-on-Bannow recalls to Michael how when he was six years old when he travelled to Ross with his parents, his aunt Kathleen and his brother Nick to see President John F. Kennedy during his visit to Ireland. His father, the mouth-organ player Phil Murphy, was a musician in the band playing for Kennedy’s arrival, so the family arrived very early and got a place right at the railings.
He remembers the excitement of the day, particularly seeing helicopters overhead for the first time. Kennedy eventually came very close to the family, and the speaker vividly remembers him rubbing his head — a moment that stayed with him because Kennedy was such an iconic figure.
Years later, the speaker was contacted by a cousin who had seen a photograph on the Journal.ie website. The National Library of Ireland was trying to identify the young boy pictured with Kennedy. The speaker was amazed to discover that the photograph showed him, his mother and his aunt Kathleen standing near Kennedy. He provided the information needed to identify them and was subsequently invited to Dublin for the launch of the National Library's website. He received a large copy of the photograph as a memento and jokes at the end about temporarily taking down a Wexford hurling team picture to display it instead.
...........................................................................................
As part of the 'JFK 50 The Homecoming' Programme in 2013, the Arts Department of Wexford County Council commissioned Michael Fortune to produce a series of short films based on the un-documented histories and stories surrounding the visit of the late John F. Kennedy to Co. Wexford in June 1963. This brief, but highly influential visit to Wexford, left a lasting legacy on the history of county, in particular in the town of New Ross and its immediate surrounds.
This short film was recorded with John Murphy of Carrig-on-Bannow.
The completed films were show at the JFK Homecoming event in New Ross, Co. Wexford on Saturday the 22nd of June, while they will also be presented in the temporary New Ross Community Museum which was established for the celebrations.
