The winter of 1962/1963 was the coldest in Ireland of the twentieth century. It began freezing on Christmas Day 1962 and the freezing weather lasted right up to the middle of March 1963. Many lakes, including Lough Rea, had a thick covering of ice and were used for skating.
During the 27-29 June John F. Kennedy the U.S. president visited Ireland and addressed the houses of the Oireachtas (28 June). The following link provides coverage of the President’s visit, as well as analysis by several political commentators on the Ireland of 1963 and the significance of this visit to the people of Ireland:
By 1963 the USA Civil Rights Movement had become a mass movement for racial reform and civil rights. A political rally, known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, was held on August 28th 1963. Folk singers Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and the opera singer, Marian Anderson sang to protestors and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous “I have a dream…” speech.
In 1963 Kenya and Zanzibar gained independence from the UK.
Although The Beatles’ popularity had been growing steadily throughout 1963, their appearance at the London Palladium on Sunday 13 October catapulted into the attentions of the mainstream media, who coined the term ‘Beatlemania’ to describe the scenes of screaming fans.
The following Pathe News clip describes the hysteria surrounding a Beetles concert in Manchester on November 20 1963:
To read more about Beatlemania go to the following link:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/10/10/how-beatlemania-nearly-crushed-the-beatles/
When John F. Kennedy visited Ireland in June he promised that he’d return to Ireland “some day”. Sadly this wish was not to be fulfilled. The final months of 1963 were punctuated by one of the most tragic events in American history, the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on 22nd November 1963. Two hours later Lynden B. Johnson sworn in as the new President of the United sSates.
Other Significant Dates in 1963
24 January – the Minister for Justice Charles Haughey announced that the Irish Government propoed to abolish the Death Sentence.
3 June – Pope John Paul XXIII died and he was succeeded by Pope Paul VI (who was elected as pope on 21st June).
August 28th Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a dream..” speech, addressing civil rights march at Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
7 November – The Beatles arrive in Dublin for a concert at the Adelphi Cinema and are interviewed by Frank Hall for Telefís Eireann:
Music
Dickie Rock and the Miami Showband with “There’s Always Me,” which reached No. 1 in the Irish Charts on 3rd January 1964 and remained at the top of the charts for four weeks.
Cinema releases
It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world
The Birds, Director Alfred Hitchcock, Starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor and Jessica Tandy.
Cleopatra, Starring Starring Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Richard Burton as Mark Anthony and Rex Harrison as Mark Anthony.
Books
John McGahern, The Barracks
Spike Milligan, Puckoon
Silvia Plath, The Bell Jar
John le Carre, The Spy Who Came in From The Cold
John Fowles, The Collector
Alastair McClean, Ice Station Zebra
Martin Luther King Jr., Why We Can’t Wait
St. Raphael's Loughrea, Class of 1961-1966 