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Editor says, what if the Kennedys had stayed in Ireland and revived the IRA? This is an answer to everyone who pointed out that the organization was dormant in 1960 .. the year that the Kennedy Brothers joined them, in our original AH. Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the August 2012 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
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It is 1960, and the four Kennedy Brothers have joined the Irish Republican Army in their home town of Dublin.
Up the Rebel Kennedys!Their mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, supports them to the fullest, saying that they are needed to protect the Catholics in Belfast from the Protestants. Their father, Joseph, is much more realistic, but he doesn't mind throwing the IRA a few pounds now and again, even though they have not been active for several years. With his thriving whiskey export business, he can afford the expense .. and besides, it does not hurt to stay on the boyos' good side, does it now? And he still has not forgotten World War II, when his oldest boy Joe, Jr. died fighting for the English, whom he blames for causing the conflict.
The three remaining brothers combine Irish charm, movie-star good looks, dazzling smiles and rousing speeches in a combination that few can resist. Seeing this, the leaders assign them to raise money and support in America and Ireland both. John is especially effective, with his ringing cry: "Ask not what Ireland can do for you .. ask what you can do for Ireland".
On one of those trips abroad, he meets a beautiful .. and wealthy .. debutante named Jacqueline Bouvier. Her charm and money are equally helpful to the cause, to the point where they are soon gracing the covers of Hollywood fan magazines and Irish newspapers both. Their sister Patricia plays her part by marrying an equally glamorous movie star, Peter Lawford. With the staunch support that the Kennedys are creating in Ireland and America both, the IRA is soon a force to be reckoned with once more.
Entry posted by
Jackie Rose
© Jackie Rose, 2012-.Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Politicians Source: Wikipedia Labels: Kennedy, Ireland, Irish, IRA, Dublin.
~ I like the thought of the Kennedys running the Republic of Eire...?
~ AFAICR, 1960 in Ireland was fairly quiet. The Troubles didn't really kick into gear until 1968 or so. And if they'd stayed in Ireland, they'd likely be not as rich as they were in OTL.
~ So does Edward abandon an Irish girl to drown in the River Shannon? :-D Sorry, couldn't resist...
~ An extra whiskey distillery, would be significant in Ireland at this time.
The family have moved from New Ross.
Joe Kennedy Snr, would one assumes be a Fine Gael supporter
The Kennedys would be southerners, in an IRA about to become regionalised
~ Robbie, that's what I thought...that John would wind up being the President of Ireland. And Eric O, you are also right, that the Troubles were much worse around 1968, but I was trying to stick as close as possible to the real timeline. I also thought that his name would be "Sean," but I wanted to make it absolutely clear that this was the same JFK in another place.
~ It is unlikely that they would do so - unless recruited for "something else" - as armed resistance was not on in this era, but various things were being carefully prepared behind the scenes. As the "borders campaign" had clearly failed, a new long term approach was necessary ......
~ My problem was...when JFK was elected in 1960, he was 43 years old: still youthful, dazzling and vital. In 1968 he would have been 51. And the Clancy Brothers released their first albums of Irish rebel songs in the early 1960s, so there must have been some sentiment for them...and it would have been increased by the Kennedy Brothers youthful and dazzling appeal.
~ Another issue with having it later would be the supposition of Addison's disease, which would've made fighting all the more difficult.
~ But thinking even further...if JFK became President of Ireland in 1960, he might be shot while driving through Dublin in 1963. Depressing.
~ There were some, incidents in the 1960s. There was an attack on the RN ship Brave Borderer in Waterford
http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/kilkenny-man-s-historical-ira-prison-escape-in-1966-1-2171411. Its not impossible Joe is wounded/killed in the Border campaign. Again, when the Troubles starts most of the Kennedys are north of thirty? But isn't Charlie Haughey filling this niche?
~ If the IRA Kennedys had done everything I described, thenI believe JFK would have been able to defeat St. Patrick himself, let alone Charlie Haughey.
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
