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Patsy, Mikey Hannah Punch and Catherine Connolly with their relation Thomas Fitzgerald, cousin of John F Kenndy at the Thomas Fitzgerld Centre , Bruff. pic Declan Hehir
It was with a considerable sense of pride that the town of Bruff last week welcomed a very distinguished visitor in the person of Thomas Fitzgerald, first cousin of John F. Kennedy, grandson of two-time Mayor of Boston Honey Fitz, and grandson of Thomas Fitzgerald, who left the area for the new world in the 1800s. Thomas called at a number of locations in Bruff and Lough Gur which held fond memories for him.
He visited the Honey Fitz Theatre, enjoyed afternoon tea in the Thomas Fitzgerald Centre, saw an exhibition of hurling skills at the GAA grounds, took in the ancestral burial plot at Kyle, and marvelled at the magnificent views of the lake from Lough Gur Visitor Centre. Bruff, Grange and Meanus Community Council presented Tomas’s four grandchildren with hurleys which were handmade locally by Willie Bulfin and Sons.
The Fitzgerald visit marked a memorable occasion and further strengthens the bond between the parish of Bruff and the Fitzgerald Kennedys that will surely endure for generations to come. The success of the visit is all the more significant in a week when Travelmag.com voted Bruff as one of the ‘20 Most Charming Towns in Ireland,’ marking a great week all-round for the area. See full coverage and pictures on page 23.