057 Kennedy Family Curse

Picture of the Kennedy Family

Is the Kennedy Family Cursed?

Is the Kennedy family cursed?  Pat and Rebecca take a deep dive into the tragedies of the Kennedy family. While most are aware of JFK and RFK’s stories, many may not be aware of the continuing heartbreak of the Kennedys, even to today. The question is…are they cursed?

Questions Explored in this Episode

What is the history of the Kennedy family in the United States? What happened to Joe Kennedy Jr. that led to the rise of John F. Kennedy? How long have the Kennedys been involved in politics? Besides the assassinations of JFK and Robert F. Kennedy, how many other Kennedys have died prematurely? Who are the others and what happened to them? Why do some think this is a curse? Do some members of the family believe in the curse? Is the family curse real?

(FILES) This 01 May, 1999, file shows John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bissette as they leave at the end of the White House Correspondent's annual dinner in Washington, DC, 01 May. A light place piloted by Kennedy and carrying his wife and at least one other passenger has been reported missing of the US east coast and a massive search is underway.   AFP PHOTO/Manny CENETA (Photo credit should read MANNY CENETA/AFP/Getty Images)
(FILES) This 01 May, 1999, file shows John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bissette as they leave at the end of the White House Correspondent’s annual dinner in Washington, DC, 01 May. A light place piloted by Kennedy and carrying his wife and at least one other passenger has been reported missing of the US east coast and a massive search is underway. AFP PHOTO/Manny CENETA (Photo credit should read MANNY CENETA/AFP/Getty Images)

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Listener Mail and Questions

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Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. wears a pilot's uniform. He has enlisted with the Navy and enters the Squantum Naval Air Station for training. | Location: Squantum, Massachusetts, USA.
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. wears a pilot’s uniform. He has enlisted with the Navy and enters the Squantum Naval Air Station for training. | Location: Squantum, Massachusetts, USA.

History of the Kennedys

Pat dives into the fascinating history of the Kennedy family. Starting in Ireland, Pat traces the how the family arrived in the United States and rose to being the first unofficial royalty in America. He walks us through the tragedies that are both well known and less known.  

The Kennedy Clan
The Kennedy Clan

The Debate

Rebecca and Pat debate whether the Kennedy family is cursed. So many have died or barely escaped death for over 40 years. The most recent was just this past summer. Are these just a series of unfortunate events or are they a result of a curse?

Saoirse Kennedy Hill
Saoirse Kennedy Hill

Poll Results

Find out what listeners said for the Mary Todd Lincoln episode – Are seances real? Still need to listen to our previous episode? Check it out here.

Ghostly Book Club

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Sources for this Week’s Episode

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_curse
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_family
CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/15/us/kennedy-family-curse/index.html
EOnline: https://www.eonline.com/news/1046837/how-the-kennedy-dynasty-has-endured-in-the-wake-of-so-much-scandal-and-tragedy
Irish Central: https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/what-is-kennedy-family-curse
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BkQ7uRDXWc
The Sun: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9640584/truth-behind-the-kennedy-curse/
All That’s Interesting: https://allthatsinteresting.com/kennedy-curse
USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/02/kennedy-curse-history-of-tragedy-saoirse-jfk-bobby/1898409001/

Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
Intro: “III. Allegro moderato from Gargoyles” by Lowell Liebermann
Outro: “Dream Images (Love-Death Music)” by George Crumb
Bumper: “Ghost Waltz” by Lowell Liebermann