“JFK: The Three Miles,” a new documentary about President Kennedy’s visit to Galway, Ireland less than six months before his assassination, will be featured at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum this summer.
The museum hosted the exclusive U.S. premiere of the documentary on Friday, June 30, with the film’s director, Pamela Finn, a Galway native, in attendance. JFK: The Three Miles had its world premiere at The Pálás Cinema, Galway earlier this month.
In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy made a visit that would change America and the rest of the world’s perception of Ireland. Kennedy referred to his visit to Ireland as “the best four days of his life.” One of those days, June 29, was spent in Galway, known for its long winding promenade, beautiful beaches, and traditional Gaeltacht culture of music, dancing, and the Irish language.
Told by residents present during the presidential visit, the film recalls the euphoric excitement in Galway. None had ever experienced such privilege or felt such an atmosphere. They certainly never met someone as famous as the President of the United States.
The documentary will be screened at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, included with paid museum entry, on Monday through Friday at noon, 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. throughout the summer.
“We are honored to host the American premiere of this beautiful documentary that showcases the joy President Kennedy brought to the country of his ancestry, and hope that visitors to the Cape this summer take the opportunity to view one of our daily screenings,” said Wendy Northcross, Executive Director of the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum. “The documentary is especially poignant as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of a year that forever altered the course of American history.”
One message rings strong through the documentary: in the one and a half hours JFK was in Galway, he made a strong, lasting impression upon the local people, and built a connection between America and Ireland that would travel through generations.
The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum is among the most-visited cultural institutions on Cape Cod. The museum’s programs work to connect visitors to Kennedy’s unique local heritage and nonpartisan themes of family commitment, civic engagement, public service, and community preservation.
Located at 397 Main St., Hyannis, the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through August 31.
For more information, visit www.jfkhyannismuseum.org.
