TWO American tourists from Buffalo, New York, have been reunited with a Derry man they took in as part of the Belfast Summer Relief Fund in 1998.
Marty and Mary Kennedy, whose son Tim represents the 63rd District on New York's State Senate, arrived in the city on board the Jewel of the Seas cruise ship and they met with Stephen Rooney, his wife Jessica and their year-old child Noah.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, the Kennedys said that it was a pleasure to be reunited with the family.
“Both of us have very strong Irish decent and we knew Jack and Maureen Fecio who organised the fund. They needed host families and our son John is just a little older than Stephen, so we did it and we were very pleased as he was a fine young man,” Mary said.
The purpose of the Belfast Summer Relief Fund was to bring 30 Catholic and 30 Protestant children to the US each summer for a break from the conflict and to get to experience life outside their communities.
.@newbelfast always working to build bridges across the Atlantic from the North of Ireland to NY! Honored that you’d take the time to show off the great & incredibly impressive Belfast City to my parents! @sinnfeinireland @moneillsf @GerryAdamsSF @NiallSF @MaryLouMcDonald https://t.co/llsYSmAZw7
— Senator Tim Kennedy (@SenKennedy) August 16, 2022
Speaking of his time on the trip, Stephen told us: “At the time, we weren’t sure who was Catholic and who was Protestant. I was at Holy Child in Creggan at the time. It was very strange living with a new family for six weeks then having to go back to Derry, especially in 1998.
“Driving from Buffalo to Boston to meet Mary and Marty’s daughter who was studying there at the time was surreal.
“There was also the parties on the beach when it was my birthday and we had a joint party with one of their relatives and we had ice cream cakes and things which I would never have had at home.”
My mother and father making friends across the pond. Thank you @newbelfast for showing them such wonderful hospitality! https://t.co/3PJGUzZYX8
— Kennedio (@pjk330) August 16, 2022
Recalling the same beach trip, Mary reflected on the culture shock for Stephen.
“We had a campfire and the fire siren went for the volunteer firefighter and he was scared to death. He dropped to the ground and was telling us to get to the ground because there would be shooting which was a real eye opener for us.”
In addition to the culture shock for Stephen, he also drew attention from other American children and he recalled being asked if he had internet at home and if he lived in a cottage with a thatched roof.
Through the power of social media, Stephen has been able to keep in touch with the Kennedys and they have met up a number of times since 1998, including a trip to Toronto and the family attending his wedding to Jessica in Derry.
Mary said that she was particularly looking forward to meeting baby Noah.
“Marty said that he was looking forward to visiting Iceland on the cruise, but for me the best part of the trip was seeing Stephen, Jessica and the baby,” she laughed.
