Ancestry search reveals Clitheroe woman's family ties to former US President JFK
A Ribble Valley woman has uncovered an extraordinary piece of family history that connects her to one of the most famous political families in the world.
Jennifer Coogan, from Clitheroe, only made the remarkable discovery earlier this year that she is related to John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the USA, who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22nd, 1963.
Jennifer had been researching her family tree, hoping to learn more about her late grandfather, Matthew Meyler, who was born in New Ross, County Wexford, before moving to Salford in the 1940s. As part of her search, she took a DNA test through the Ancestry website – and what she discovered was far beyond anything she expected.
The results matched her with a long-lost cousin, Patrick Grennan, who lives in Dunganstown, New Ross, not far from where her grandfather grew up. When the two began comparing family histories, Jennifer learned that Patrick is a third cousin of President John F. Kennedy.
Patrick’s grandmother, Mary Ryan (née Kennedy), was a second cousin of JFK and famously hosted the President during his historic visit to Ireland in 1963 at the Kennedy Homestead. Mary Ryan is also Jennifer’s third cousin, creating a surprising link between the Clitheroe resident and America’s most iconic political dynasty.
This means that Jennifer is a distant cousin of President Kennedy through shared Kennedy family ancestors, a connection formed through extended family lines in Dunganstown.
In September, Jennifer travelled to Ireland to meet Patrick in person at the Kennedy Homestead, where they spent several hours discussing their shared heritage. She also met Patrick’s uncle, Tommy Grennan, who provided further insight into the Meyler, Breen, and Kennedy family connections.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Jennifer said. “To discover that my own relatives were the very people who welcomed President Kennedy to Ireland was incredible. It’s amazing to think that someone from Clitheroe could have such a link to the Kennedys and the Shriver family.”
Jennifer’s third cousin Mary Ann Ryan even attended JFK’s state funeral in Washington D.C.
Jennifer believes she may be one of the only people in her area with such a remarkable family connection – a connection that stretches from Lancashire all the way to a pivotal chapter of American history.