John F. Kennedy Memorial Park

John F. Kennedy Memorial Park and Arboretum is a 252 hectare botanic garden and forest park on the slopes of Slieve Coillte, near New Ross in County Wexford. The park was dedicated in 1968 in memory of the 35th President of the United States, whose great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy emigrated to America from the nearby townland of Dunganstown in 1848. The arboretum was a joint gift from Irish-American societies and the Irish government, designed as a living tribute to one of Ireland's most famous descendants.

The collection contains around 4,500 species and cultivars of trees and shrubs from temperate regions around the world, laid out in plant family groups and forest plots. Visitors can wander through avenues of conifers, broadleaf trees, dwarf conifers and a hedge collection, all linked by miles of waymarked paths and forest roads. A miniature railway and a road train operate seasonally, taking visitors to the summit viewpoint on Slieve Coillte at 271 metres, where panoramic views stretch across the Hook Peninsula, the River Barrow and the Comeragh Mountains.

The visitor centre houses an exhibition on Kennedy's Irish roots and his historic 1963 visit, along with a cafe and picnic areas. The park is a popular spot for families, walkers and plant enthusiasts alike.