Dubray Books in Grafton Street Dublin was packed to capacity for the launch of Ryan Tubridy and PJ Lynch’s new book Patrick and the President.
The book tells the story of John F Kennedy’s return to his ancestral home in Ireland through the eyes of a young boy. John F Kennedy described his four day visit to Ireland in 1963 as the best four days of his life while it was also a trip never forgotten by a generation of Irish people.
The story is told through the eyes of a boy called Patrick who wanted nothing more than to shake the Presidents hand. The book offers readers a pure and personal take on the historic visit. it also marks the centennial of John F Kennedy’s birth.
Pals: Ryan Tubridy posed with Joe Duffy at his book launch | BRIAN MCEVOY
Ryan was joined on the night by PJ Lynch, who illustrated the book – while Ryan’s mother Catherine, sister Rachel and brother Garrett were also spotted along with Joe Duffy.
The RTÉ star told the Irish Independent, “It has always been a dream of mine to write a book for children. This is a magical moment for me. The fact that PJ Lynch is illustrating the story makes it even more special.
“The story of JFK’s visit to Ireland is profound and colourful and even more so through the eyes of my fictional friend Patrick, who gets caught up in the excitement of the event.
“If children can enjoy this postcard from the past and maybe want to learn more about Irish history, I think we’ll have achieved something.”
