The passing of Jean Kennedy Smith - US Ambassador's visit to Nenagh recalled

A link between Nenagh and the former US Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith - when she sipped Guinness from a glass in a local draper's shop - has been recalled.

Kennedy Smith, who died in her home in Manhattan last Wednesday, aged 92, visited Nenagh to open an exhibition of photographs by local photographer Pádraig Ó Flannabhra on Thursday, May 16th 1996. The event turned out to be a major occasion, as the Urban District Council decided to accord Kennedy Smith a civic reception after learning of Pádraig's coup in securing such an esteemed guest to launch his event.

Pádraig explained that the strong traditional links between Nenagh and the O' Kennedy clan might just have been the trigger to persuade the then US Ambassador to officially open his exhibition in the town. The event, title 'The Traditions of Nenagh', mainly featured a series of photographs he had taken of an old Nenagh, including photographs of long established shops and their owners that were beginning to fade away as the new Celtic Tiger era beckoned. "I was in the Amerian Embassy in Dublin at a function and I met her," recalled Pádraig, "and luckily for me she took me up on it."

 

CIVIC RECEPTION
When the local councillors learned of the event they decided to accord Kennedy Smith a civic reception. There was music to greet her when she arrived in Banba Square and she was then invited to the council chamber in the Town Hall where the strong associations between Nenagh and the O' Kennedy clan were recalled and Kennedy Smith was invited to sign the Visitors' Book. That reception ended, Pádraig recalled accompanying the ambassador down the street for a planned stop-off at Starr's drapery in Mithcel Street, one of Nenagh's oldest shops.

"I wanted to give her a flavour of the old Nenagh, and what better place to visit than Starr's," said Pádraig. The ambassador was greeted in the premises by proprietors Joe and Angela Starr and their young daughter, Florence.

 

STARR FAMILY MAKE PRESENTATION
The Starr family presented a photograph of them taken by Pádraig to Kennedy Smith, who, on her wanderings around the shop, came upon a man's suit. "I remember her asking, 'How much is that suit?' and Joe Starr replied it would cost her £100," said Pádraig.

Mr Starr, who is well known for his wit, added to the banter by telling Kennedy Smith: "You are the Stripes and we are the Strarr's."

The humour of the occasion continued when someone burst through the front door of the shop holding a half pint glass of Guinness for the ambassador to sample."I remember she took a sip of the Guinness and then handed the glass over to her Secretary before remarking, 'that's great stuff,'" said Pádraig. On leaving Starr's, it was on to McCarney's furniture store in Kenyon Street where the photography exhibition was to be launched.

On their walk through the streets Kennedy Smith remarked that the town was litter free. She was greeted on arrival at McCarney's by a large crowd, including the proprietor, Annette McCarney, as well as many of the shopkeepers and business owners who were featuring in the exhibition. Pádraig had invited the well-known sean-nós singer Lillis Ó Laoire to treat Kennedy Smith to a traditional Irish song, while the late Colleen Shelly from Beechwood, Kilruane, recited a poem written by Thomas MacDonagh, entitled 'John John'.

FERRERO ROCHER FOR THE AMBASSADOR!
Local supermarket owner Tommy Mulqueen proved sporting enough to add fun to the occasion by going around with a giant tray of Ferrero Rocher, in a mimic of an old television commercial in which a male ambassador offers the famous sweets to his guests at a function. (Those old enough might remember that the advert' contained the cheesy line by an attractive woman telling the ambassador, "Monsieur, with these Rocher you are really spoiling us").

A relation of Pádraig's, a young girl, Ailish Kennedy, was on hand to present Kennedy Smith with a bunch of Irish wildflowers - cowslips and primroses, which he had earlier picked in the fields.

Kennedy Smith delivered a fitting speech to mark the offical opening and asked if by any chance there was a book compiled of the photographs featured in his exhibition. Alas, that book was not published until 14 years later when the images were incorporated into the volume, "Nenagh Face to Face" which also incorporates works from different exhibitions put on by Pádraig down the years. After returing to her residence in Dublin, Kennedy Smith autographed three posters of the exhibition that Pádraig had sent her, returning them to him by post.

She also wrote letters of thanks to the Starr family and Pádraig for their hospitality, informing Joe and Angela Starr that the photograph they presented to her had found "a permanent home" in her residence.
Looking back now on the week after Kennedy Smith's death, Pádraig holds fond memories of both her and the occasion in Nenagh 24 years ago. "She was a very pleasant lady. The fact that she was good enough to come to Nenagh has brought the whole occasion back to me," said Pádraig.

"After that evening I met her just once more. It was at a tree planting ceremony in the Phoenix Park in Dublin," said Padraig. When Kennedy Smith visited Nenagh she was 68. "She was a very vibrant lady back then, and I was much younger myself," said Pádraig. "It was a big thing to happen, and I was absolutely delighted and honoured that she came."