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| Joe Biden in Ireland: US president meets Michael D Higgins in Dublin | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US President Joe Biden is meeting the Irish President Michael D Higgins in Dublin. | |
| He will spend most of Thursday day in the company of leading Irish politicians. | |
| He started his working day with a visit to Áras an Uachtaráin - the home of the Irish president in Phoenix Park. | |
| He will inspect a military guard of honour, plant an oak tree to mark the occasion, to sign the visitors' book and ring the Bell of Peace. | |
| A delegation attending the event includes Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and former Irish football star Paul McGrath. | |
| President Biden's visit to Ireland will then continue with set-piece engagements, including an address to the Irish parliament. | |
| His visit to the Republic of Ireland encompasses both the personal and the political. | His visit to the Republic of Ireland encompasses both the personal and the political. |
| On Wednesday evening it was all about the personal. | On Wednesday evening it was all about the personal. |
| President Biden at The Windsor with Tánaiste (Deputy PM) Micheál Martin in Dundalk, County Louth | |
| President Biden visited both Dundalk and his ancestral roots in the town of Carlingford in County Louth. | President Biden visited both Dundalk and his ancestral roots in the town of Carlingford in County Louth. |
| Live: Biden to meet Irish leaders in Dublin | Live: Biden to meet Irish leaders in Dublin |
| Biden hails young people of NI on his Belfast visit | Biden hails young people of NI on his Belfast visit |
| Delicate diplomacy on show in Biden's Belfast trip | Delicate diplomacy on show in Biden's Belfast trip |
| Mr Biden met distant relatives in the Cooley Peninsula, where crowds lined the quayside as the presidential motorcade arrived. | Mr Biden met distant relatives in the Cooley Peninsula, where crowds lined the quayside as the presidential motorcade arrived. |
| Later in Dundalk, there were shouts of "welcome home, Joe" when Mr Biden arrived to address an audience at the town's Windsor Bar. | Later in Dundalk, there were shouts of "welcome home, Joe" when Mr Biden arrived to address an audience at the town's Windsor Bar. |
| There he said Irish people were the "only people in the world in my view who are actually nostalgic about the future". | There he said Irish people were the "only people in the world in my view who are actually nostalgic about the future". |
| President Biden took selfies with well-wishers who turned out in their thousands | President Biden took selfies with well-wishers who turned out in their thousands |
| A major security operation is also under way in the Republic of Ireland's capital, with a number of city centre roads closed. | A major security operation is also under way in the Republic of Ireland's capital, with a number of city centre roads closed. |
| Polythene wraps have also been placed around bins along the route the US president will take. | Polythene wraps have also been placed around bins along the route the US president will take. |
| Phoenix Park has been shut until 17:00 local time on Thursday, with pavements near Dublin Castle shut for pedestrians until midnight on Friday. | Phoenix Park has been shut until 17:00 local time on Thursday, with pavements near Dublin Castle shut for pedestrians until midnight on Friday. |
| In contrast to his rain-soaked arrival on Wednesday, Mr Biden looks set to see a much brighter day in Dublin with temperatures around 12C (54F). | In contrast to his rain-soaked arrival on Wednesday, Mr Biden looks set to see a much brighter day in Dublin with temperatures around 12C (54F). |
| Irish roots | Irish roots |
| Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met Joe Biden at Dublin Airport on Wednesday afternoon | Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met Joe Biden at Dublin Airport on Wednesday afternoon |
| After his meeting with the Irish president, President Biden is expected to travel the short distance to Farmleigh House where he will have a bilateral with the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar. | |
| Mr Biden will then be given a sample of Gaelic sports with a demonstration by young players before travelling Leinster House to address both houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) - the Dáil and the Seanad (Senate). | Mr Biden will then be given a sample of Gaelic sports with a demonstration by young players before travelling Leinster House to address both houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) - the Dáil and the Seanad (Senate). |
| His speech is expected to emphasise both his pride in his Irish roots and American support for the Good Friday Agreement - which is 25 years old this week. | His speech is expected to emphasise both his pride in his Irish roots and American support for the Good Friday Agreement - which is 25 years old this week. |
| Allow Twitter content? | Allow Twitter content? |
| This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. | This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. |
| Former Irish president Mary McAleese, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and some Stormont party leaders are among those expected to attend. | Former Irish president Mary McAleese, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and some Stormont party leaders are among those expected to attend. |
| Marie Heaney, the widow of the late poet Seamus Heaney, will be a special guest of the US President, Irish national broadcaster RTÉ reports. | Marie Heaney, the widow of the late poet Seamus Heaney, will be a special guest of the US President, Irish national broadcaster RTÉ reports. |
| "He was most anxious that she would be present as part of his delegation because we know he is absolutely besotted by the work of Seamus Heaney and has quoted him extensively," Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Seán Ó Feargháil said. | "He was most anxious that she would be present as part of his delegation because we know he is absolutely besotted by the work of Seamus Heaney and has quoted him extensively," Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Seán Ó Feargháil said. |
| After his speech, President Biden will be the evening guest of honour at a state function in Dublin Castle, the former seat of British power in Ireland. | After his speech, President Biden will be the evening guest of honour at a state function in Dublin Castle, the former seat of British power in Ireland. |
| 'We call him a local' | 'We call him a local' |
| Eamonn Thornton met Joe Biden one of his last visits to Ireland | Eamonn Thornton met Joe Biden one of his last visits to Ireland |
| Despite the rain, people lined the streets of Carlingford to welcome the US President back to Ireland - among them, distant relatives. | Despite the rain, people lined the streets of Carlingford to welcome the US President back to Ireland - among them, distant relatives. |
| Eamonn Thornton celebrates Mr Biden's Irish ancestry with "From Whitestown, County Louth to the White House, Washington," emblazoned on the back of his white van. | Eamonn Thornton celebrates Mr Biden's Irish ancestry with "From Whitestown, County Louth to the White House, Washington," emblazoned on the back of his white van. |
| "His Irishness has stood to him - he's a down-to-earth man," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme. | "His Irishness has stood to him - he's a down-to-earth man," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme. |
| Mr Thornton met his relative, who he calls a local, during one of his last visits. | Mr Thornton met his relative, who he calls a local, during one of his last visits. |
| "When he was here the last time, he just came in and welcomed everyone, very emotional having visited the grave of his great-great grandparents. | "When he was here the last time, he just came in and welcomed everyone, very emotional having visited the grave of his great-great grandparents. |
| "For him to be at the graveyard touching the headstone of his relations, who would ever have thought that would happen to a local?" | "For him to be at the graveyard touching the headstone of his relations, who would ever have thought that would happen to a local?" |
| Mr Thornton is convinced his relative is keen for another four years at the White House. | Mr Thornton is convinced his relative is keen for another four years at the White House. |
| "His age is against him, but he has the Irish spirit in him and that's as good as seven points on the football field." | "His age is against him, but he has the Irish spirit in him and that's as good as seven points on the football field." |
| Members of the public lined the streets of Dundalk | Members of the public lined the streets of Dundalk |
| On Wednesday he met political leaders in Northern Ireland at the new Ulster University Belfast campus. | On Wednesday he met political leaders in Northern Ireland at the new Ulster University Belfast campus. |
| He called for politicians to restore the power-sharing government at Stormont, which collapsed more than a year ago. | He called for politicians to restore the power-sharing government at Stormont, which collapsed more than a year ago. |
| He praised politicians for their unity after the attempted murder of one of Northern Ireland's top detectives in February. | He praised politicians for their unity after the attempted murder of one of Northern Ireland's top detectives in February. |
| John Caldwell was shot several times by two gunmen in Omagh, County Tyrone. | John Caldwell was shot several times by two gunmen in Omagh, County Tyrone. |
| On Friday, the US President is expected to travel to County Mayo where he will again explore his Irish ancestry. | On Friday, the US President is expected to travel to County Mayo where he will again explore his Irish ancestry. |
| Another great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt also left Ireland around the time of the famine. | Another great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt also left Ireland around the time of the famine. |
| Joe Biden waves to members of the public in Dundalk | Joe Biden waves to members of the public in Dundalk |
| While in the county the President, who is a Catholic, is also expected to visit shrine at Knock and to make an outdoor speech to people in Ballina before he ends his four day visit to the island. | While in the county the President, who is a Catholic, is also expected to visit shrine at Knock and to make an outdoor speech to people in Ballina before he ends his four day visit to the island. |
| A US genealogist who researched Mr Biden's lineage had estimated he is "roughly five-eighths" Irish. | A US genealogist who researched Mr Biden's lineage had estimated he is "roughly five-eighths" Irish. |
| His great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left there for America in the late 1840s. | His great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left there for America in the late 1840s. |
| Declan Harvey and Tara Mills explore the text of the Good Friday Agreement - the deal which heralded the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. | Declan Harvey and Tara Mills explore the text of the Good Friday Agreement - the deal which heralded the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. |
| They look at what the agreement actually said and hear from some of the people who helped get the deal across the line. | They look at what the agreement actually said and hear from some of the people who helped get the deal across the line. |
| Listen to all episodes of Year '98: The Making of the Good Friday Agreement on BBC Sounds. | Listen to all episodes of Year '98: The Making of the Good Friday Agreement on BBC Sounds. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Republic of Ireland | Republic of Ireland |
| Joe Biden | Joe Biden |