This presentation traces the final weeks and days of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, from his departure from Shannon Airport on 29 June 1963 to his assassination in Dallas, Texas on 22 November. The presenters will argue that this period was among the most action-packed and significant of Kennedy’s presidency as he doggedly pursued a peace strategy. Kennedy had entered office as a convinced Cold Warrior, but the Cuban Missile Crisis altered his views and persuaded him of the need for peaceful coexistence with the Communist world.

In this short twenty-one week period, Kennedy concluded a significant nuclear test ban treaty and extended peace overtures to America’s Cold War opponents. On the domestic front, civil rights and his re-election campaign were central to the President’s busy agenda.

Brian Murphy, PhD., PGDip is a lecturer in the College of Arts and Tourism, Technological University Dublin. Brian earned his doctorate in Modern Irish History from the School of History and Archives, University College Dublin. He was the speech writer for Bertie Ahern, who was Taoiseach during the Good Friday Agreement.

Donnacha Ó Beacháin is Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University (DCU) where he lectures on post-Soviet politics, unrecognized states, Irish studies and foreign policy. Professor Ó Beacháin’s monograph is From Partition to Brexit: The Irish Government and Northern Ireland (Manchester University Press) which was the 2019 recipient of the Political Studies Association of Ireland's Brian Farrell prize for book of the year.