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| Joe Biden returns to County Mayo roots on last leg of Ireland tour | Joe Biden returns to County Mayo roots on last leg of Ireland tour |
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| US president’s emotional visit to west of Ireland to culminate in speech at great-great-great-grandfather’s birthplace | US president’s emotional visit to west of Ireland to culminate in speech at great-great-great-grandfather’s birthplace |
| Joe Biden has returned to his roots in County Mayo to conclude a four-day visit to Ireland with prayers, tears, ballads and a rhapsodic farewell. | Joe Biden has returned to his roots in County Mayo to conclude a four-day visit to Ireland with prayers, tears, ballads and a rhapsodic farewell. |
| The US president plunged into a final round of engagements on Ireland’s west coast on Friday after a whirlwind week that stamped his Irish identity on his presidency, evoking comparisons with a 1963 visit by John Kennedy. | The US president plunged into a final round of engagements on Ireland’s west coast on Friday after a whirlwind week that stamped his Irish identity on his presidency, evoking comparisons with a 1963 visit by John Kennedy. |
| Biden prayed at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a Catholic shrine, during a highly personal pilgrimage through County Mayo that was to culminate in a speech after sunset outside St Muredach’s Cathedral at Ballina, the birthplace of his great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt. | |
| By chance an ex-US army chaplain who works at the shrine, Fr Frank O’Grady, had tended to Biden’s son Beau, who died of cancer in a US military hospital in 2015. The two men spoke, and Biden wept. A hospice in the Mayo town of Castlebar has a plaque dedicated to Beau Biden. | By chance an ex-US army chaplain who works at the shrine, Fr Frank O’Grady, had tended to Biden’s son Beau, who died of cancer in a US military hospital in 2015. The two men spoke, and Biden wept. A hospice in the Mayo town of Castlebar has a plaque dedicated to Beau Biden. |
| Thousands of people gathered by the banks of the River Moy for what was expected to be an emotional goodbye to a president who caught the public imagination – and made some gaffes – during visits to Dublin and the Cooley peninsula in County Louth, where there is another branch of his family. | Thousands of people gathered by the banks of the River Moy for what was expected to be an emotional goodbye to a president who caught the public imagination – and made some gaffes – during visits to Dublin and the Cooley peninsula in County Louth, where there is another branch of his family. |
| US flags and Biden posters festooned Ballina, which resembled a US town on the fourth of July. Families queued to take selfies in front of a mural of Biden. “The kettle is on Joe, come on home,” said a poster. | US flags and Biden posters festooned Ballina, which resembled a US town on the fourth of July. Families queued to take selfies in front of a mural of Biden. “The kettle is on Joe, come on home,” said a poster. |
| Three times PJ Hughes, who owns a knick-knack shop, ordered hundreds of US flags, and three times they had sold out, he said. “The buzz is unbelievable.” Harry McCafferty, a shoe repairer, said Biden had charmed the nation. “He’s so friendly, he has a great way with him. And it’s great for Ballina. People who have never heard of Ballina will know of it after today.” | Three times PJ Hughes, who owns a knick-knack shop, ordered hundreds of US flags, and three times they had sold out, he said. “The buzz is unbelievable.” Harry McCafferty, a shoe repairer, said Biden had charmed the nation. “He’s so friendly, he has a great way with him. And it’s great for Ballina. People who have never heard of Ballina will know of it after today.” |
| The rapture bookended a homecoming for a man who, the Irish Times said, “just loves being Irish”. It was Biden’s third time in Ireland since 2016 and his first as president. | The rapture bookended a homecoming for a man who, the Irish Times said, “just loves being Irish”. It was Biden’s third time in Ireland since 2016 and his first as president. |
| The relatively freewheeling tour of the Irish republic, where Biden visited a pub and deli and did walkabouts, contrasted with a brief, politically delicate visit to Northern Ireland earlier in the week when he marked the Good Friday agreement’s 25th anniversary amid tension over the Democratic Unionist party’s boycott of power sharing. | The relatively freewheeling tour of the Irish republic, where Biden visited a pub and deli and did walkabouts, contrasted with a brief, politically delicate visit to Northern Ireland earlier in the week when he marked the Good Friday agreement’s 25th anniversary amid tension over the Democratic Unionist party’s boycott of power sharing. |
| The former DUP leader Arlene Foster said Biden “hates” the UK, a claim repeated by some British commentators. US and Irish officials rejected the assertion. | The former DUP leader Arlene Foster said Biden “hates” the UK, a claim repeated by some British commentators. US and Irish officials rejected the assertion. |
| The other protest came from five leftwing members of Ireland’s legislature who boycotted his address to the Dáil on Thursday, saying US support for Israel and Saudi Arabia was hurting Palestinians and Yemenis. A Sinn Féin deputy, Chris Andrews, attended the speech but wore a Palestine T-shirt. | The other protest came from five leftwing members of Ireland’s legislature who boycotted his address to the Dáil on Thursday, saying US support for Israel and Saudi Arabia was hurting Palestinians and Yemenis. A Sinn Féin deputy, Chris Andrews, attended the speech but wore a Palestine T-shirt. |
| Biden’s speech to the legislature won standing ovations and followed in the footsteps of his predecessors Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. “I’m at home,” he declared. “I just wish I could stay longer.” | Biden’s speech to the legislature won standing ovations and followed in the footsteps of his predecessors Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. “I’m at home,” he declared. “I just wish I could stay longer.” |
| His official Twitter account said the trip had embodied the Irish phrase céad míle fáilte – a hundred thousand welcomes. “Like my grandfather used to say: ‘If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough,’” the tweet added. | His official Twitter account said the trip had embodied the Irish phrase céad míle fáilte – a hundred thousand welcomes. “Like my grandfather used to say: ‘If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough,’” the tweet added. |
| My trip home to Ireland embodied céad míle fáilte – a hundred thousand welcomes. It’s been great to see so many old friends and family – and make some new ones. Like my Grandfather used to say: “If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough.” pic.twitter.com/cgXDMQkPRn | My trip home to Ireland embodied céad míle fáilte – a hundred thousand welcomes. It’s been great to see so many old friends and family – and make some new ones. Like my Grandfather used to say: “If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough.” pic.twitter.com/cgXDMQkPRn |
| Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter and sister Valerie, landed at Knock airport amid bright sunshine on Friday. “It’s good to be back,” he told dignitaries. | Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter and sister Valerie, landed at Knock airport amid bright sunshine on Friday. “It’s good to be back,” he told dignitaries. |
| Alan Dillon, a local politician who played Gaelic football for Mayo, asked the president to “say a little prayer” to break a purported curse that has prevented the county winning the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship since 1951. | Alan Dillon, a local politician who played Gaelic football for Mayo, asked the president to “say a little prayer” to break a purported curse that has prevented the county winning the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship since 1951. |
| Crowds with US and Irish flags lined the road as the motorcade drove to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a pilgrimage site that has drawn two popes and Mother Teresa. “Welcome Home Joe,” read one sign. | Crowds with US and Irish flags lined the road as the motorcade drove to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a pilgrimage site that has drawn two popes and Mother Teresa. “Welcome Home Joe,” read one sign. |
| The US’s second Catholic president – the first was Kennedy – toured the basilica and touched the bricks of a gable wall where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared in 1879. | The US’s second Catholic president – the first was Kennedy – toured the basilica and touched the bricks of a gable wall where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared in 1879. |
| The president was to visit a heritage and genealogy centre in Crossmolina. According to the White House, the president’s ancestor Edward Blewitt, a civil engineer, and his wife, Mary Mulderg, emigrated to the US in 1851 in the wake of the Great Famine. They helped to plan and build Scranton in Pennsylvania, which is now twinned with Ballina. | The president was to visit a heritage and genealogy centre in Crossmolina. According to the White House, the president’s ancestor Edward Blewitt, a civil engineer, and his wife, Mary Mulderg, emigrated to the US in 1851 in the wake of the Great Famine. They helped to plan and build Scranton in Pennsylvania, which is now twinned with Ballina. |
| Biden was to meet several relatives including Laurita Blewitt, a distant cousin. “It’ll be a historic day for the town,” she said. | Biden was to meet several relatives including Laurita Blewitt, a distant cousin. “It’ll be a historic day for the town,” she said. |
| Police sealed off roads to all but special shuttles that ferried people close to the riverside cathedral. Expectation built as the crowd thickened. Bands including the Academic, the Chieftains and the Coronas were to warm up the audience. Authorities prepared an elaborate light show to illuminate the stage. | Police sealed off roads to all but special shuttles that ferried people close to the riverside cathedral. Expectation built as the crowd thickened. Bands including the Academic, the Chieftains and the Coronas were to warm up the audience. Authorities prepared an elaborate light show to illuminate the stage. |
| “I can’t wait to see him,” said Bridget Gavin, 54. The town had been scrubbed and painted, she said. “They’ve done it all up. Everyone is shocked that this is happening here – a presidential homecoming. It’ll be a day to remember.” | “I can’t wait to see him,” said Bridget Gavin, 54. The town had been scrubbed and painted, she said. “They’ve done it all up. Everyone is shocked that this is happening here – a presidential homecoming. It’ll be a day to remember.” |