Patrick and the President written by Ryan Tubridy and illustrated by P.J.Lynch

On June 26 1963, so 54 years this June President John Fitzgerald Kennedy visited Ireland for four days, ending his trip on June 29.

115 years before President Kennedy's trip to Ireland his great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy left Ireland for the New World searching for more luck. 
The President said during a speech on June 27 1963 in Ireland, New Ross: "I am glad to be here. It took 115 years to make this trip. And six thousand miles. And three generations. And I am proud to be here."

This years the celebrations starting on May 29th 2017 of the centenary of John Fitzgerald Kennedy's birth.

The idea of this fictional, tender, warm and beautiful book published by Candlewick Patrick and the President written by Ryan Tubridy host of The Late Late Show and illustrated by P.J.Lynch is condensed in these important moments for President Kennedy and for Ireland and Irish as well.

Illustrations are more real than pictures, the narration is at treats moving,  creating at the same time great expectations as well. You will feel you are part of the story living the excitement of Patrick's Irish family.

It's a tender story, beautiful, genuine, fictional but intense and very felt.

The author and the illustrator imagined a common Irish family and their little boy - and their family dog as well - all excited for the arrival of the President in their little town of Dunganstown in county Wexford.

In this town there are still relatives of the Kennedys and the President stopped by for a feast organized outside by Mary Ryan her distant cousin with scones, sandwiches, Swiss rolls and tea on June 27 1963.

It's this one the day taken in consideration by Ryan Tubridy and P.J.Lynch.

In the morning of June 27 1963 the second day of the Presidential trip of John Kennedy local teachers of the various school organized some chorus. Their school-children  sang to the President various songs, including:  "The boys of Wexford" one of the songs he loved the most.

It's a precious story because I found in it the old enchantment and dream that maybe in our times we have a bit lost for very important people, and that's why I consider this book a real treasure. We see the story from Patrick's eyes but also from the eyes of his family and it is amazingly beauty.

It was an age I didn't read a story so touching, remarkable and moving.

I loved the sunny illustrations, the open smiles, the joy and happiness of  Patrick's parents and the powerful picture of the family in 1960s with its joy, hope for the future, enthusiasm.

The trepidation when on April 1963 announced that President Kennedy was coming to Ireland.

From schools and teachers busy to prepare the chorus to the President, passing through the same students all excited for the big novelty and Patrick's family with a special invitation to attend the event with the President at Mary Ryan's family's house, Patrick focused the weeks before the arrival of the President only in rehearsals.
Chorus, songs, Swiss roll responsibilities.

He didn't want to do any kind of bad figure with John Kennedy.
Big emotions, unforgettable, I loved the illustrations of an amazed Patrick close to a sunny, smiling John Kennedy and the final hug of his parents.
 
John Fitzgerald Kennedy is still the only elected catholic President of the USA, and he represented for all the Americans and for the entire world a new hope for a better future.

His contagious smile, his affability, his vision of the world.

The story of Kennedy in USA started in 1840s with the horrible potato famine. Extreme poverty eight of John Kennedy's great-grandparents left Ireland, immigrating to Boston, Massachusetts.

We know the rest of this story. John Kennedy and his brother Robert became very successful politicians like also Ted Kennedy. The clan Kennedy one of the most influential of the USA.
The realization of the American Dream.

The memory of this trip of President Kennedy in Ireland in the tender illustrations by P.J. Lynch and in the words, excited, plenty of enthusiasm and joy by Ryan Tubridy.

You must buy this book, for you for your children because it's necessary to return to feel the dream of a better world plenty of joy and enthusiasm and of...dreamers.

At the same time you will introduce to your children President Kennedy, telling them his personal story, and what he meant for the USA and the world. It will be an occasion for talking of history sharing at the same time a lot of fun! And if your are a teacher occasion couldn't be more captivating than this one because children will be all interested to hear from you the adventures lived by Patrick, the good little Irish boy who tried all his best for meeting and shaking his hand with one of them: an Irish born in the USA and now the most powerful man of the world.

I thank Candlewick and Mr. P.J.Lynch for this book.



Anna Maria Polidori