Maurice recalls the excitement of JFK visit Garrett’s gift for the President

THe recent excitement and hoopla surrounding President Joe biden’s visit to Dundalk brought back memories for a local blackrock native of a visit from another us President to ireland.

91-year old Maurice O’Neill, originally from Dundalk but living in blackrock for over 60 years, was a huge John F Kennedy fan and when his trip to ireland was announced he and his wife Maeve made the trip to Dublin to try and catch a glimpse of their hero.

“i had just purchased a new car at the time and when myself and my wife heard he was coming to Dublin we immediately decided to drive up to see him.

John F Kennedy was probably the most irish President ever to sit in the White House and he was hugely popular in ireland back in the 60’s. The security around the President was nothing like what it is today and myself and Maeve were able to park at the entrance to Dublin airport. At that time you could get as close as you wanted to and we ended up maybe six feet away from his open topped car as he drove by us. i shouted something at him and he looked over at me and waved.

“We got back in the car and then drove over to the Phoenix Park as we knew he was going to meet the President. He was walking up the avenue to Aras an uachtaráin and i remember my sister-in-law Maria Clarke getting to shake his hand. He was such a charismatic guy and everybody was trying to get close to him. i remember climbing a tree to get a better look at him walking past and looking back it was amazing how lax the security was. There were no gardaí around him and he was very accessible. unfortunately that lack of security would eventually cost him his life as he was shot just six months after we seen him.

“The recent visit of President Biden definitely made me remember that great day we spent in Dublin when JFK came to ireland. There is something special about an American President coming to this country especially when they have irish heritage. i would have liked to have gone into town to get a glimpse of President biden but unfortunately the weather was pretty bad and i’m 91 now so i watched it all unfold on tv instead. i thought it was brilliant for the town that President biden came to visit us and it all seemed to go very well,” stated Maurice.

THe atmosphere has been electric in the wee County of Louth this week, with everyone talking about the impending visit of us President Joe biden to the region.

Mr. biden arrived in belfast yeseterday ahead of his whistle-stop four-day trip around the island of ireland, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Following on from meeting with the british Prime Minister, rishi sunak, in belfast, Mr. biden was given a huge welcome home to Carlingford, Co. Louth, where he visited the stunning Carlingford Castle. Mr. biden’s great-great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan, emigrated to the us from the Cooley Peninsula in the 1840’s. Following on from visiting his ancestral home, he made a stop in Dundalk town centre where local people cheered and lined the streets to meet him.

Award winning jeweller, Garrett Mallon, from the Garrett Mallon Design House in Carlingford, was delighted to have received a commission from the Louth County Council to create a bespoke handmade gift for President Joe biden for his historic return to Co. Louth.

Garrett created a pair of hand- crafted cufflinks, which are based on his first ever signature collection, The ‘Cloicin’ Collection. Cloicin, meaning small stone in irish, derives its name from the stony shoreline of Carlingford Lough, where Mr. biden’s ances- tors came from. The collection was inspired by the wonderful surroundings of beautiful medieval Carlingford, where the Garrett Mallon Design House is based. Garrett created this collection where the etched surface of the jewellery reflects the sandy surface of the shoreline where the stones and pebbles lie. The collection is handcrafted by Garrett in sterling silver. President biden’s cufflinks have been handmade in sterling silver with solid gold pebbles on the surface.

Garrett has been commissioned to create bespoke pieces for high profile clients on numerous occasions, including President Michael D Higgins, President Mary McAleese, and the GAA.

Garrett has commented, “This is a very special commission for me, and i am honoured to have been asked to create a gift for President biden to represent the region. On receiving the commission, i immediately thought of my Cloicin Collection as Mr. biden has such a strong connection to Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula, as do i, and he is very proud of his irish ancestry. i hope that when he wears the cufflinks, he will smile and think of us here in Carlingford.”