AN OFFICIAL invitation is to be sent to President Barrack Obama to visit New Ross in 2013.
The invitation will be sent as part of ‘The Homecoming’ initiative which was officially launched in the Tholsel last weekend.
The event, which will form part of the JFK50 Commemorations, was launched by Minister for Public Expenditure, Brendan Howlin, on Saturday night.
Town Clerk, Ger Mackey, welcomed everyone to what he described as “the local launch of Kennedy 50”.
“We had a national launch on July 3 but we think the people of New Ross are the most important people regarding this,” he said.
He then introduced Cllr. Michael Sheehan who has been one of the main driving forces behind the project in Co. Wexford.
Cllr. Sheehan thanked everyone for attending the event which he said will be aimed at celebrating the Kennedy legacy as well as commemorating the late American President’s visit to New Ross and Co. Wexford.
Officially titled ‘The Homecoming’, the event will focus attention on the work of the Kennedys and the impact that JFK had on the world.
The Cathaoirleach of New Ross Town Council, Cllr. Paul Crowdle, also spoke at the launch. He spoke of the strong links between the Kennedy’s and New Ross.
He said next year would see New Ross remembering one of the most important occasions in its history.
Cllr. Crowdle said the lighting of the eternal flame on the town’s quay-front in 2013 will be one of the most poignant events to take place. The flame will be lit using the flame from the grave of President Kennedy in Arlington Cemetery.
Min. Howlin said it was an honour to be in attendance at such an important and prestigious event.
“You can see the palpable excitement as there will be a focus on this town in an unprecedented way over the next 12 months,” he said.
He described as “auspicious”, the fact that in 2013 New Ross will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the visit of President Kennedy.
“It was a state visit by the President of the United States and a visit that has for the past 50 years been only ever referred to as The Homecoming,” he said.
Min. Howlin spoke of the heartbreak for many Irish families as a result of emigration and commented: “Ireland has always kept an empty place at the dinner table for those who went away, and nowhere in the country will you find a more iconic representation of this than in Aras an Uachtarán – where then President Robinson lit a candle in the window to keep in mind our emigrants – until now that is. In 2013 on the Quayside of New Ross you will light a flame in honour of all those who left our shores; a symbol of hope and a beacon of pride to burn eternally on your fantastic new Quayside.”