Former US Ambassdor to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith has died at the age of 92.
The late president John F. Kennedy, a virtual saint here was her brother and she was the last remaining sibling in the long line of the JFK’s brothers and sisters.
She was 92, and died at her home in Manhattan, according to a report from the Associated Press. Smith was the eighth of nine children born to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy.
During her time in Ireland in the 1990s, she was a key figure in the Northern Ireland peace process. Her death was confirmed by her daughter Kym.
She was appointed ambassador to Ireland by President Bill Clinton, who called her “as Irish as an American can be.” As ambassador, she played a role in the Northern Ireland peace process. When she stepped down as ambassador in 1998, she received Irish citizenship for “distinguished service to the nation.”
Jean Kennedy Smith was a true friend of Ireland. Quite apart from her formal role as Ambassador, which she performed with distinction, she had a life long love for our country and a dedication to our peace & progress. Her loss is huge. We thank her and we will miss her. RIP Jean
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) June 18, 2020
My thoughts and sympathies go out to the family of Jean Kennedy Smith. Her role in bringing peace to our Island will always be recognised.
— Seán Kelly MEP (@SeanKellyMEP) June 18, 2020
