President John F. Kennedy Recalls Happy Palm Beach Memories With an Old Irish Friend

The Irish Tubridys, of Ireland, and the Irish Kennedys, of America, were close family friends. As president, in fact, Kennedy kept an ashtray on his desk given to him by Dot Tubridy – one on which she’d had the Kennedy crest inscribed. This exceptionally warm letter speaks to that family relationship – recalling the happy past, and inviting both Tubridy - child and mother - to “America” because, Kennedy said, “somebody here misses you both”…
 
Many thanks for your nice letter and the beautiful picture of my beautiful picture of the house in Florida.  I had forgotten that drawing - and it brought back to me, you can tell you mother all kinds of happy memories: perhaps to her also.

Come to America soon and bring your mummy - somebody here misses you both.
 
In June 1963, Kennedy visited Ireland -  "the three happiest days," he said, "of my life."

After his marriage to Jacqueline, JFK took up painting as a way to relax: The picture referred to here was one he painted of the Kennedy compound at Palm Beach, Florida and is part of the Shapell Manuscript Collection.

Autograph Letter Signed, as president, 2 pages, quarto, The White House, Washington, D.C., no date [March 13, 1962]. To Aine Tubridy in Dublin, Ireland. With transmittal envelope. Kennedy handwritten letters as president are considered to be one of the rarest of the twentieth century presidents.