On Wednesday morning, May 25, 2011, I boarded a plane at Dublin Airport heading for Newark New Jersey. It occurred to me, while I was 35,000 feet in the air, that the adventure I had just had in Ireland was so extraordinary that it really needed to be shared with the anyone who would listen.
Not just for my own glorification, but because it deals with a real historical event, and a new bond between two great nations ... Ireland and America.
So here goes.
I received an email from Henry Healy on March 23 that President Barack Obama was coming to his town of Moneygall in May. And Henry (President Obama's distant cousin AKA Henry the 8th) was inviting me to take part in this celebration.
When I read the message on my computer in Baltimore, I almost fell off of my chair. Moneygall is a tiny hamlet in County Offaly, Ireland. And Barack Obama's maternal roots can be traced back to this town.
First of all, here's the back story that needs to be revealed. In 2008, I had read in an Irish American newspaper that Henry was related to the President. I was so curious that I found Moneygall on a map and realized it was a town I passed through on many occasions as I travelled to Kerry to see my own cousins. (My paternal grandparents were both born in County Kerry).
So that summer I stopped in Moneygall and met with Henry and his family. His mother immediately “put the kettle on” and we were instant friends. I photographed the town and Henry and when I got back to the U.S. I called my friend Stella O'Leary, leader of the Irish American Democrats.
Stella in turn contacted Henry and this led eventually to his participation at an Inauguration party at the Phoenix Park Hotel in D.C. in January of 2009. (I also attended the party there that night, where I would meet up with Henry again.)
Anyway, Henry invited me and secured a special ticket for me (cleared by the Secret Service I suspect) which permitted me to enter Moneygall on Monday, May 23 when the President was to come. Just for the record, I also had to get domestic clearance from my wife Paula to attend this momentous event. I was delighted. So off to Dublin Airport I went.......landed on Sunday May 22......rented a car........bought an Irish cell phone.......and drove down the M7 to Moneygall. This part of the drill, I was already familiar with.
Once there, I met Henry, obtained the ticket (that will never be sold on eBay), and proceeded to record the rest of the experience with my camera. I captured images of the following: lovely painted houses, shopkeepers, musicians, facades of stores, and signs regarding President Obama's visit.
It was all such a smorgasbord of great subject matter for this photographer. Two women in the town organized a B&B for me in Nenagh, a short drive from Moneygall. The next day, I had to leave my car outside the town.......pass through a metal detector........and then was directed by the very polite garda (Irish police) to walk into the town and stay behind the temporary metal barrier. The huge vehicle that the President arrived in, parked directly in front of the area I was standing in. You talk about the luck of the Irish!
When I saw the First Lady emerge from the van and standing on the street in Moneygall, I thought I was watching a movie, but I reasoned with myself that this was really happening.
The Obamas went first to meet Henry and other Irish dignitaries standing on the opposite side and had some conversation with them there. Then to everyone's amazement the President and Michelle Obama turned around and walked directly towards the crowd I was standing with.
I will say it again ... they walked directly towards the crowd I was standing with. Then without hesitation they shook the hands of everyone, including mine. Surely I must be dreaming. And as Henry suggested in the March email I started “snapping away” with my Canon Rebel.
If I hadn't taken their photographs, I would have never believed I was there. Later that day while sitting in the restaurant at Dooly's Hotel in the town of Birr, I watched on television as Mr. Obama gave an eloquent speech to 40,000 people in Dublin. Ok, that did it; the people of Ireland fell in love with our President! What a day! What a great celebration!
The following thought came to me as I was flying back to America: I was very young when President Kennedy went to Wexford in June 1963 and working as a teacher when Ronald Reagan visited Tipperary in June 1984; so I made sure I was there in Moneygall the day Barack Obama came to Offaly.
The strange thing is, I live only 50 miles from his house in Washington D.C., but I got to shake his hand in Ireland. What a funny world. What a wonderful world.
27 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ILoveWolfTone | May 31, 2011, 05:24 PM EDT
I wish that this had not impressed the good people of Ireland so much...it's election time coming up and a good many people have Irish ancestry...I think it was a political ploy. I hope he is voted out, because this economy will never recover as long as he is in office. No one with the ability to move this economy trusts him, he is severely inexperienced.
ciarrai | May 30, 2011, 09:37 PM EDT
Too far towards "the muslims." That is not the belief of the muslim formerly known as Osama Bin Laden. What kind of squirrelly folk read this website anyhow? IMHO, simplesandy is well named. Your man, Danny Lynch, seems just a tad too over the moon about the Obama walking towards him. He isn't Paul McCartney. If he gets our people out of Afghanistan I'll get all goofy over him. Up Kerry, anyhow.
whiteycat | May 30, 2011, 01:41 PM EDT
Nice story and how nice to get to shake this presidents hand. BUT why all the fuss?The only way I would shake his hand is if he came to my home.That is because I grew up with that bit of politeness to any guest in your home,however he would not be an invited guest anyway.I feel he is too far toward the muslims.
katetipp33 | May 30, 2011, 09:28 AM EDT
glad you enjoyed the visit and had a good craic
weasetta | May 30, 2011, 01:53 AM EDT
A tragic Fairy Tale, none the less.
deburca | May 29, 2011, 11:26 PM EDT
What a great experience! This is a story for the grandchildren!
McNamara31 | May 29, 2011, 10:14 PM EDT
Denny, this is one special story, and one, I am sure will be told in your family for many, many years to come.
MrSinatra | May 29, 2011, 07:30 PM EDT
this sounds like a schoolgirl meeting george michael, and she doesn't know he's gay.
goldenblade | May 29, 2011, 03:21 PM EDT
And not to detract from Denny's account of his time in Ireland - sounds like he had a wonderful and magical time - Ireland still offers that to the intrepid traveller.
goldenblade | May 29, 2011, 03:20 PM EDT
SimpleSandy - I hope you are not that simple - 99% my ass** - I live in Ireland and most people round me were delighted with the visit of both the Queen and Obama ...Obama elevated the spirits of those listening to pick up and carry on - not like the doom and gloom that we have listened to for the last 2 years - caused by America may I hasten to add. And the alternative - the nutty Palin? I hope someone has given her a geography lesson and that she now knows where Russia is. I wonder what reception she would get in Dublin?
eamonnandcarol | May 29, 2011, 02:23 PM EDT
What a wonderful account of your time in Ireland meeting Obama,if I were you I would come back again and you never know how you wold meet!
Trealach | May 29, 2011, 02:13 PM EDT
Nice story, but the official figures given for the crowd in Dublin is 100,000. He gave a great speech, but then he is a world-class Orator, not like the last mumbling idiot. It's a pity it was spoiled though by our idiot of a Taosieach plagerising the President's speech.
kevinhayes | May 29, 2011, 02:03 PM EDT
"(Ronald) Reagan proved that deficits don't matter" - Dick Cheney to Paul O'Neill, George W.Bush's Treasury Secretary in 2002, when O'Neill was arguing that we could not afford the Republican tax cuts. O'Neill was fired in 2003. Tells you all you need to know which party is most responsible for the deficits that really began in the Reagan era.
midlandsmiss | May 29, 2011, 02:01 PM EDT
Thanks for this story - what a thrill! So glad you were there. I am so proud of our President and proud of of Ireland.
simplesandy | May 29, 2011, 12:36 PM EDT
Will you both stuff it on what each president has done wrong in the past. First of all the past presidents all added to where America is today. And this president is no different. I don't give a damm about color of skin either (had to say that because there is always some a$$ who throws the race card in) America is going down the shitter and unless you wake up it is going to cause a war amongst yourselves. And for what. The leaders that get chosen are not doing the job. Not even trying to do it. As for Obama's visit ..I spoke to a lot of people here in Ireland and 99% of them feel he only did this for the Irish American vote ..PERIOD. I am a born and raised American who lives here in Ireland for last 6 years. People over here do not like what the president is doing and before you get fooled by the 40,000 people who cheered Obama on there were thousands who do not like the man. Someone once made a comment that all Ireland must like Obama because they cheered him on, and I said that’s like saying all Americans must like Obama because 40,000 Americans went to a rally and cheered him on. I don't know if I like this president or not .Living here I don't have to deal with him but Americans need to wake up for this next election and find someone other than who’s running to be president .I see it’s like a 3 ring circus.
simplesandy | May 29, 2011, 12:22 PM EDT
Well said McNamara - I am sure Americans are not born with a weird gene which eliminates their memory every 3 years. Who put the US in debt? Who precipitated a world wide economic crisis? I sure hope Bush walks around with armed bodyguards every where he goes.
JohnKinMD | May 29, 2011, 11:54 AM EDT
I was in Money gall the day after and it was a empty town. I hope they can get over being used for PR.
McNamara31 | May 29, 2011, 11:47 AM EDT
francisquinn/suzandpej… I think you blaming the wrong people, for as you say,"peeing on you".Can we add a little truth? We all “get it” you dislike Obama, however America is a financial wreck not because of Obama's doing, but the prior administration who put two wars put on credit cards while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest of the wealthy and then followed up with SEC financial deregulation allowing the conditions for the crash of 2008. All of these actions put America in the hard times we are experiencing now. That why your children and mine will be so adversely affected. Obama was left to dig us out. And BTW if their past actions were not enough, now they are attempting to eliminate Medicare; how's that working for you. Ex Marketing executive Paul Ryan who himself received social security as a child, is now marketing a plan for the GOP to eliminate Medicare.
suzandpej | May 29, 2011, 11:14 AM EDT
I wish he'd move there..he has "peed" awaiy 5 trillion in 3 years, and the American people are no better off. No, it's not just the right wing...most of the left wing I know won't vote for him again.
mcdolan | May 29, 2011, 11:04 AM EDT
Nice story! Incredible things do happen to ordinary people.
francisquinn | May 29, 2011, 10:44 AM EDT
How could you celebrate such a despicable person....$ 5 trillion pissed away in 3 short years.....You may be happy now but your children will be paying the bill and it will be a big one...
badolan | May 29, 2011, 10:32 AM EDT
Ever notice how the right wingers are unable to say anything new? They must be the most unoriginal, uncreative, whinny followers on the planet. The righties appear to be completely constipated and unhappy. It just gets to be so boring reading anything they write. Just a suggestion, consider offering something new or don't bother posting.
cillowen | May 29, 2011, 10:30 AM EDT
their queen and obama should excite a little business and keep the natives happy.
torbreezy | May 29, 2011, 10:29 AM EDT
Get OVER it already, will ya' . . . .
colkelley | May 29, 2011, 10:10 AM EDT
Please take him back to Moneygall and keep him.
jacersagain | May 29, 2011, 09:59 AM EDT
This is a great read... but where are the snaps that Denny took?
antoman | May 29, 2011, 09:18 AM EDT
An enjoyable read.Next time you are in Ireland do not buy a mobile phone.Bring your old one with ya.Late in the evening,Friday or Saturday is best,get a taxi.Scattered about the back seat and on the floor will be many mobile phones of all shapes and makes.Put your old mobile in the heap and select another one for yourself.Hey presto.You arrive at your destination fully communicable.