12/02/2026
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS
Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the launching the replica Dunbrody Famine Ship. The ship is now an iconic part of the New Ross skyline and streetsape as well as Wexford tourism as it tells the stories of yet another dramatic era in our town's and nation's history.
The Dunbrody Famine Ship Eperience and Visitor Centre is administered by an entirely volunteer board of directors called The JFK Trust which has been in existence since 1988.
The background and history of this volunteer group like so many such groups is often understated and their work unsung.
Another local volunteer goup, New Ross Lions Club, played the key role in setting this whole project in motion.
At a time of high unemployment locally it was proposed at a club meeting in November 1987 that a sum of £600 be set aside in order to set up a trust fund "for the benefit of the town".
The motion was passed unanimously and a committee of 6 members was set up to investigate the project.
In Marcjh 1988 the Lions Club commissioned a report from Paddy Shaffrey (Town Planner) at a cost of IR£8000 with a view to identifying projects that would benefit the town. This report was the source of the ethos and objectives of the JFK Trust.
The John F Kennedy Trust became a legal entity in November 1988 and held its first meeting with a board consisting of Lions Club members plus the Chairman of New Ross UDC and a member of the Ryan family (Kennedy cousin).
The initial trustees were Michael Ryan (ex RTE) and Paddy Quinn (R.I.P.)
In February 1989 New Ross Lions Club voted to donate a further IR£3000 as seed funding to the JFK Trust.
In 1991 Sean Reidy was appointed CEO of the project and one of his first proposlas was the construction of a replica famine ship.
From those little acorns we now have a tourist attraction with international recognition.
The JFK Trust oversees the running of the Dunbrody Famine Ship, Dunbrody Visitor Centre and Restaraunt and The Kennedy Homestead.
Current CEO,Sean Connick, advised the attendees at the 25th Anniversary Gala Ball last weekend that the trust now employs between 30-40 people seasonally generating €1 million in wages into the local economy, €250k annually to local business and services, €250k to local suppliers and has brought 1.4 million visitors to the ship over the past 25 years.
While this is history of a more recent kind the ship and the building on our New Ross Quay is a testament to volunteerism in our community, the skilled craftsmen/women involved in the construction of the ship , the dedicated staff and the people of New Ross and environs.
Dunbrody Famine Ship Wexford County Council Verona Murphy TD Brandon House Hotel & Solas Croi Spa Visit New Ross Georgia Southern University Center for Irish Research & Teaching WexWalks Tides & Tales
