Unravelling Fermanagh's ties with the Kennedy family

A great-nephew of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, the current Special Envoy to Northern Ireland visited Enniskillen Castle last week.

One talking point during his visit was his links to Tonymore, where his great, great, great grandmother, Rosanna Cox, lived before emigrating to America in the 1800s.

The townland has changed since the Cox family lived there and is now home to a manufacturing with Encirc basing themselves on the Border townland.

When asked by The Impartial Reporter if he was proud of his Fermanagh roots, Mr. Kennedy said: "Always, I mean, great story to tell."

Joe Kennedy with a map of The Townland of Tonymore Teemore.

The connections to the area were mentioned by business leaders including Kevin Lunney, of Mannok who said: "We're actually next door to your ancestor, Rosanna Cox - Fitzgerald home stead and you will be very welcome to visit that and we will show you around anytime."

As a momento for his visit, Mr. Kennedy was presented with a copy of Johnny McKeagney's book 'In The Ould Ago', and a framed map of the townland of Tonymore.

While business was the agenda for the day, Mr. Kennedy took time to make a joke about the roads and traffic in this area.

Joe Kennedy, Special Envoy for Northern Ireland with Dr. Jayne Brady, Head of Civil Service, Northern Ireland.

A member of the most famous Irish-American political family, he was appointed as U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland by President Joe Biden in December 2022. He is a former democratic congressman.

He spoke at an event earlier this year at Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and stressed that American companies considering investing in Northern Ireland want certainty for the future, adding the sooner they have clarity the better for the economy.

Speaking at the time he advised, “There also can be no prosperity without peace, and there can be no peace without prosperity.”