Security for the President

My Garda unit was detailed to protect President Kennedy during his visit to Limerick. I was a Detective in the Garda at the time, and was used to protecting President DeValera during his many visits to Adare. So this was really just like another days work. We worked directly with the American Presidential security and were positioned by the race course in Limerick. There was no major planning beforehand, and I remember a strong sense of security. The pin that I received was a souvenir exchanged with one of the American security team. He gave me the pin and I gave him a Garda badge. The pin is a replica of the ship Kennedy served on in WWII; PT109.

from Edmund Smyth