Kennebunkport Historical Society Presents:

Gifts We Can Barely Carry – Songs fromJohn F. Kennedy’s Trip to Ireland

Kennebunkport: The Kennebunkport Historical Society is pleased to present a live concert with film written and performed by Irish musician Kevin Farley of York, Maine. Gifts We Can Barely Carry: Songs from JFK’s Ireland Trip is scheduled for two performances on Wednesday, November 9 at 7PM and Sunday, November 13 at 1PM at the Town House School located at 135 North Street, Kennebunkport, Maine. Tickets are $15 for members / $18 for non-members and available by clicking HERE.

Throughout this lively and informative presentation, Farley is next to a large screen singing the songs and playing various traditional Irish instruments experienced by President Kennedy during his “journey home,” in 1963. The film consists of historic sound clips of JFK, hundreds of photos, news clippings and historical images related to the songs and how they figured in his trip. “The Irish people welcomed JFK with music every place he went. He requested songs, sang along with songs, and quoted song lyrics in his speeches,” Farley says. “My program is called a “concert with film” because they both happen at the same time. That way, it only takes half as long, and everyone can get home earlier!”

Kevin Farley has been performing Irish music since 1979, when he departed stable employment managing the bookstore in Kennebunkport, Maine and began a 5-year stint traveling the country with The Carpetbaggers Irish Band.  His subsequent solo career included 900+ gigs at America’s most celebrated Irish pub, The Black Rose in Boston. In 1997, he changed his emphasis to entertaining seniors in settings ranging from independent living retirement communities to therapeutic recreation in care settings, including memory care, a path he followed for the next 25 years.

The Kennebunkport Historical Society is a non-profit, member-supported organization. The Society was founded in 1952 to preserve, protect and present Kennebunkport’s social, cultural and architectural history. It has continued this scholarly tradition for more than 60 years and has greatly expanded its scope and outreach during this time. The Society stewards multiple period buildings, an extensive clothing collection, and archives that include artifacts, photographs, books and artwork; all of which are open to the public and available for research.