Author Description

By any standards, Joe Kennedy has led a remarkable life. In 1953, at the age of 16, Joe left his native Doocastle, Co. Mayo to seek his fortune across the Irish Sea, singing at the dancehalls of London and Manchester before establishing a construction firm that became one of the largest in the UK. At one stage, Kennedy's employed over 800 staff, including countless Irish Men. But it is for his work as a philanthropist that Joe Kennedy is best known. He has contributed to numerous charitable causes in Ireland and England, and has been heavily involved in the Northern Ireland Peace Process. In this candid and enthralling memoir, Joe recalls his astonishing rags to riches story and recounts some of the extraordinary episodes in his eventful life. On the Strength of a Ten Bob Note is a fascinating portrait of an Irish emigrant who always remained true to his roots.