Ethel Kennedy, Widow of RFK, Owned Several Dogs — Including 16 Irish Setters Named Rusty
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his mother Ethel, who died from stroke complications on Oct. 10, was comforted to know she may be reunited with her many dogs in the afterlife
In Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s heartfelt tribute to his mother, Ethel Kennedy, who died on Oct. 10 at the age of 96, he revealed that she had many dogs with the same name.
In an X post, Bobby Jr., 70, mentioned Ethel's beloved dogs when naming family members she would be reunited with in the afterlife.
"She wrung joy from every moment, but for 56 years she has spoken with yearning of the day she would reunite with her beloved husband [Robert F. Kennedy]," the independent politician wrote. "She is with him now, with my brothers David and Michael, with her parents, her six siblings, all of whom predeceased her, and her 'adopted' Kennedy siblings Jack, Kick, Joe, Teddy, Eunice, Jean, Rosemary, and Patricia."
Bobby Jr. added: "She was never more enthusiastic about the afterlife than when she considered that she would also be reunited with her many dogs, including 16 Irish setters — all conveniently named 'Rusty.' "
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Max Kennedy and David Kennedy with Ethel's dog Blarney, who was not one of the Irish setters she ownedIrish setters were the American Kennel Club's 76th most popular dog breed in 2023. They are active and outgoing dogs, which seemed to match Ethel's temperament. "Even as she declined in recent months, she never lost her sense of fun, her humor, her spark, her spunk, and her joie de vivre," Bobby Jr. mentioned in his tribute.
Irish setters are "famously good family dogs," which was appropriate for the massive Kennedy family. Ethel and RFK had 11 children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
The Irish dog breed also aligned with the family's history. Ethel's mother, Ann Brannack, was Irish — and so was the Kennedy family she married into.
Related: Ethel Kennedy's Life in Photos — from Young Widow to Human Rights Activist
At Hickory Hill, Bobby and Ethel's former home in Virginia, dogs were among the many animals to roam the property.
"There were lots of kids," Ethel's daughter Kathleen Kennedy Townshend said, according to PBS. "There were plenty of horses, many dogs, chickens, geese, goats. It was a menagerie... my brother Bobby [Jr.] collected reptiles. And actually the turtle was in the laundry room. The sea lion was in the swimming pool."
Related: Taylor Swift Wrote a Love Song Inspired by Ethel Kennedy's Romance with Robert F. Kennedy
CSU Archives/Everett Collection
Ethel Kennedy, second from left, helps announce the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship in 1969 as her family dog Freckles roams by their feetThe Rusty pups aren't the only Irish setters who have made cameos in the political world. Former presidents Richard Nixon and Harry Truman, along with former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, all had Irish setters.
Among the abundance of dogs Ethel had throughout her lifetime, she did stray from the name Rusty at times. Bobby told The New York Post in 2020 about one of her dogs with an unexpected name.
“My mom loves Che Guevara. Her dog is named Che."
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