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President Obama asked to attend sheep shearing contest

Mayo town asks president to attend their annual sheep festival

MOLLY MULDOON,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Thursday, April 21, 2011, 3:10 PM

Updated Thursday, April 21, 2011, 3:10 PM

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20 Comments

President Barack Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama has been cordially invited to a sheep shearing contest in County Mayo, the Irish Prime Minister's home, during his upcoming trip to Ireland.

The annual Connacht Sheep Shearing Championship is due to take place in Ballinrobe the same weekend that Obama will jet into Ireland.

Event organizers decided to extend the invitation on the basis that Obama’s great-great-great-grandfather Fulmouth Kearney may have kept livestock before he emigrated to the U.S. in the 1850s. His relations in Africa also herded goats in Kenya.

“We believe both sides of the president's family reared livestock,” Paddy Rock told the Mayo Advertiser.

“It is fitting that we extend this invitation as hand shearing was a way of life for his ancestors and he would receive a lesson in the art from local champion shearer Peter Hearty from Westport.”

He added: “His helicopter could land in the racecourse in Ballinrobe and he could well stay in the nearby Ashford Castle which was good enough for Ronnie Reagan in 1984.”

“If Michelle Obama comes with him we could install her as a celebrity judge for the Junior Shepherd or 'Little Bo Peep' competition,” Rock said.

Rock said that locals were already making 'Ballinrobe Welcomes Barack' banners in preparation for his arrival.

Meanwhile in his ancestral village of Moneygall in County Offaly, an Obama street party is being planned.

Several thousand people are expected to pack into the tiny village when the U.S. President drops in for a flying visit. The Midland Record in Ireland is reporting that the after party will able to facilitate 5,000 people.

The final details of Obama’s trip to Ireland are still not known, but it is expected that the he will arrive on May 23.

Stephen Neill, the Canon of Moneygall received a letter from Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny last Friday informing them that the village would be notified of an official visit date as soon as the White House confirms his itinerary.

“We don’t think it’s a security issue, it’s more logistics at this stage,” Canon Neill told the Midland Record.

“Progress certainly seems to be going well. We’re making lots of improvements and work is continuing at a pace never witnessed before,” he added.

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petermuldownie | May 04, 2011, 03:31 AM EDT

He'll want to win it too as he is shearing Eire. The country is going to be in lockdown mode from May 16th onward with the Queens visit through his visit which means you cant get in or out of the place. By the time this antichrist has finished shearing Eire it'll be up in flames with a nuclear bomb thrown into the works (brushfires and Sellafield)and just like the false prophet Dalai Lama he'll tell you all "Things will get better" and just like the Dalai Lama he'll say as his flight departs out of the place "It was so EASY". It's understood both of them are very impressed with two abominations of desolation in Eire -the Michael Collins statue & Garden of Remembrance. The statue looks like something out of the Pit and the garden showpiece looks like a dragon.

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McNamara31 | Apr 30, 2011, 10:04 AM EDT

goldenblade …It's also a statement on how powerful the negative effects of Fox News has been on a group of Americans who "choose" only to believe their preconceived biases about our first multi cultural president. Fox makes millions feeding their appetites for smear. Instead of respecting him and giving him credit for achieving the American dream against insurmountable odds (like the Irish did years ago) they’d rather demean him. I wonder what it is like for all the children who saw themselves in him to hear this nonstop degradation of one they look up to. Your point on travel is so true; it’s the greatest education.

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goldenblade | Apr 22, 2011, 10:01 AM EDT

McNamara - I agree with you - the level of intelligence (or lack of, rather) of some of the commentators below is astonishing. Half these people have never been to Ireland and yet claim it for themselves, the "old country" that they don't want to change, with leprechauns a-leaping etc etc.....and the chant "my great great granddaddy came from County Cork.".... Makes a case for travelling and not becoming institutionalised like some of these.

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OldSarge | Apr 21, 2011, 02:23 PM EDT

Be careful what you wish for. Obama may be a ringer. He has sheared the American people and won't settle till we have no future.

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Advocate | Apr 21, 2011, 11:56 AM EDT

He is doing his best to 'fleece' We the SHEEPle; maybe some good shearmaster could skin, sorry, I meant shear, him!

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Towngate | Apr 20, 2011, 01:10 PM EDT

McNamara31 Welcome! I don't speak for "IC" of course, but I am glad you decided to join in the fun here with your probing and incisive question! Btw keep away from the Irish rams - unless you are short of some knitting wool!

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McNamara31 | Apr 20, 2011, 11:54 AM EDT

Does IC run articles like this one for the sole pupose of feeding the commentary below?

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Towngate | Apr 20, 2011, 05:32 AM EDT

Seamusmoore @ 11.23 Very funny. If Barry O'Baa-ma were to try that - I think the sheep would rather jump!

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maloney | Apr 20, 2011, 12:11 AM EDT

lol and for best sheeps arse in show, the winner is, hey barak get off that sheep!!

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McNamara31 | Apr 19, 2011, 08:32 PM EDT

Some really pathetic comments here.

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peterson | Apr 19, 2011, 03:49 PM EDT

They should shear him -- CARELESSLY !!

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Whitepark | Apr 19, 2011, 01:20 PM EDT

Regardless of all the snide insinuations I'm elated that he may be going to my local home town,hope he can get through all the traffic on main Street,

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jdi2269 | Apr 19, 2011, 12:36 PM EDT

WEBSTER NEW DEFINITION.....OBAMANIA:The need to write articles of little importance.

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MotherIrish | Apr 19, 2011, 12:01 PM EDT

Obama has lots of shearing practice;he has been shearing the American public for over 2 yrs now. He has a practiced hand. Glad my visit to Ireland will be ending the day before he comes. Don't want the bile to back up to my throat.

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thomkatt1 | Apr 19, 2011, 11:55 AM EDT

They can neuter him after shearing the wool.

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