The First Kennedys

This pioneering book explores the remarkable story of Patrick and Bridget Kennedy, a destitute Irish immigrant couple who escaped the Great Famine, based on genealogy discoveries and previously unpublished archives. They eventually established the Kennedy dynasty in America by building a life together in a city that was antagonistic to Catholics and Irish immigrants.

The Kennedys’ early political persona was greatly influenced by their Irish heritage, as JFK used his working-class upbringing to appeal to blue-collar voters. Despite their current reputation for riches, influence, and flair, the Kennedy family had modest origins as the offspring of impoverished immigrants. Like many thousands of others who were escaping the hunger, Patrick and Bridget landed in America hungry and impoverished.

Less than ten years into their Boston marriage, Patrick passed away unexpectedly, leaving Bridget to raise their kids by herself. She worked her way up from housemaid to shop owner despite widespread poverty and discrimination, supporting her family and setting the path for her only son, P.J., to succeed as a businesswoman and bar owner. The Kennedy family’s political heritage began when P.J. was elected as the first American to public office.

Using never-before-seen access to P.J. Kennedy’s personal documents, the grandson of an Irish immigrant couple wrote The First Kennedys, an American tale of survival and sacrifice, resistance and reinvention.