The Irish government and the Kennedy's celebrated the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's visit to Ireland with a celebration at the family's ancestral home At the ceremony an eternal flame taken from Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery was lit in Ireland Kennedy's daughter Caroline, grandson Jack, and sister Jean all attended the celebration John F. Kennedy is America's only Irish Catholic President to date By Ap PUBLISHED: 00:11 EST, 23 June 2013 | UPDATED: 00:11 EST, 23 June 2013 The Irish government and the Kennedy clan celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of Ireland's most fondly recalled moments, the visit of President John F. Kennedy, with a daylong street party Saturday that was capped by the lighting of Ireland's own 'eternal flame.'
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The Irish government and the Kennedy's celebrated the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's visit to Ireland with a celebration at the family's ancestral home
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At the ceremony an eternal flame taken from Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery was lit in Ireland
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Kennedy's daughter Caroline, grandson Jack, and sister Jean all attended the celebration
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John F. Kennedy is America's only Irish Catholic President to date
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Pictured here an @placeholder woman kisses the President during his visit 50 years ago
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It was the first time the @placeholder eternal flame had been passed along in this fashion.
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'We have been told over and over that @placeholder is no longer the great country that it was when my grandfather was president,' he said, noting that his generation would 'inherit a series of problems that previous generations refused to address.'
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But he said Ireland's ability to rise from centuries of poverty, emigration and social strife demonstrated that @placeholder-style ambition and optimism could find a home in the 21st century, too.