JOHN F. KENNEDY TRUST

The John F. Kennedy Trust is a community-driven charitable organisation founded in 1988 by the people of New Ross to spark local economic recovery and enrich the lives of those living in the President's ancestral home area. From its inception the Trust has forged a unique partnership between the Kennedy family - inviting cousin Mary Ann Ryan to join the board - local elected representatives, and a roster of national business and academic leaders, creating a collaborative platform for heritage-led regeneration.

The Trust's core activity is the development and delivery of projects that turn New Ross's historic assets into sustainable tourism and community benefits. Notable initiatives include the "Shaffrey Plan", an environmental and streetscape study that reshaped the town's public realm, and the creation of the Dunbrody Famine Ship - a floating Irish heritage centre that celebrates the legacy of emigration and the Kennedy connection. By coordinating with bodies such as the state-backed training authority FAS, the Trust provides project management, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement to bring heritage-tourism concepts to life.