How JFK’s Irish roots influenced his leadership
JFK family
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, known to most as JFK, was the 35th President of the United States. But before he was a president, before he was a senator, he was just a boy from an Irish family in Boston.
JFK’s great-grandparents, Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy, emigrated from Ireland during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century. They settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where they began a new life and started a family. Their son, Patrick Joseph Kennedy, became a successful businessman and politician, and passed on his strong Irish heritage to his own children.
JFK was born in 1917, the second of nine children of Joseph and Rose Kennedy. His upbringing was steeped in Irish culture, from the family’s Catholic faith to the traditional Irish music and dance that filled their home. JFK’s father, Joseph, was a prominent businessman and politician, and he instilled in his children a strong sense of public service.
As JFK grew up, he became more and more interested in politics. He attended Harvard University and then served in the Navy during World War II, where he earned a Purple Heart for his bravery. After the war, he entered politics, first as a congressman and later as a senator.
JFK’s Irish heritage was always a part of his political identity. He often spoke about his ancestors and the struggles they faced as immigrants in a new country. He also used his platform to advocate for civil rights and social justice, drawing on the values of his Catholic faith and his Irish upbringing.
In 1960, JFK ran for president of the United States. His campaign was historic, not just because he was the first Catholic to win the presidency, but because he was the first Irish-American as well. His victory was a source of pride for the Irish-American community, who saw in him a reflection of their own struggles and triumphs.
As president, JFK continued to draw on his Irish background, using it to connect with people from all walks of life. He even visited Ireland in 1963, where he was welcomed with open arms and celebrated as a hero.
Tragically, JFK’s presidency was cut short when he was assassinated in 1963. But his legacy lives on, not just as a president, but as a symbol of Irish-American pride and the power of perseverance in the face of adversity.
