Irish President Michael D Higgins is asked “Why should Americans visit Ireland now?”

Do you think this a ploy for Ireland Tourism

You are very angry Paddy. They actually forced you to emigrate and then stripped you of a vote. Who are they ?

Murph46! As Dan said. Train from Belfast Central to Dublin Connolly (ie N-S). Then LUAS tram (every 7 mins peak) from Connolly Stn over to Heuston Stn for regular Galway or Wesport trains to Tullamore or Clara, Co Offally (ie E-W). Check IrishRail website. Go easy on the moonshine/hootch!

Murph - you can get a train from Belfast to Dublin, arrives Connolly station, then u would need to cross to Heuston station to get train to Tullamore...or Clara in Offaly...in London, 2 pubs for you - Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, v old, amazing place, off Fleet St (tube is Temple), and Olde King's Head, a few blocks back from London Bridge station - does good pub food - both have decent prices for London - if yr in West London, try Elepant n Castle, behind Kensington High St...

first they force you to immigrate strip you of your voting rights as you leave told every one to F##K Off during the Celtic Tiger now that they are broke beg you to come back so they can rip you off one more time " O never oh never oh never again" If i live to be a hundred or a hundred and ten

The EU policy for open immigration will mean that the Irish will have to migrate, and other nationalities will take their place making Ireland more like America. So why go to Ireland to see an Irish version of America?

JB I guess I'll be dooin the Dew!

Murph, don't know about Belfast to Offaly. Sorry. Tullamore Dew is an excellent whiskey, as most all Irish whiskeys are.

DanOloingsigh-Alas we will be in London 9-11 and in Ireland almost a month later.I do love my whiskey though,thanks for the shout out.JBRAFTREE,do they have a train from Belfast to Offaly?We will be coming from the North after having ferried over.

Boston: If Galway wants to build a statue to Che, who cares that is their own business. However I am just not sure who and why they are building it. It won't appeal to most American tourists, and if they are assuming it will appeal to tourists from South America I don't see it. I would assume that overwhelmingly the tourists from South America would be those of means and wealth. I highly doubt they will be visiting the Che statue, as Che hated them, and vice/versa. It sounds like a tourist gimmick, but again it is their own business.

Military service is always a very honourable thing to do, being selfless and civically minded. Many centre-left/Christian socialist Irish appreciate the distinction between Americans, and the foreign policy of any particular United States (US) Government. Real friends tell us what we need to hear. Sycophants tell us what they know our egos want to hear, thereby confirming us in our delusions. In Úachtarán Ó h'Úigín's acceptance speech, he referred to building "... a new republic - a real republic, on our shared Island - our shared Ireland." In the same Saint Patrick's Hall of Dublin Castle where HM EIIR in Her Queen's Speech spoke 'as Gaeilge', and talked of "... a partnership of equals, and of bowing to history but not being bowed by it" at the Garden of Rembrance and War Memorial Grounds at Islandbridge. Scrips which seem consonant. A second Ulster/Northern Ireland President of Ireland would have been powerfully symbolic. Alas, the cabbage patch republicans of the 26 county petty fiefdom feared their Commonwealth project might be impeded. And Higgin's was their compromise candidate. He's the best there is in the political establishment. And McGuinness has pledged his allegience. Irish-Americans are free to come anytime the choose to do so. Such is their genealogical prerogative. They don't need anyones permission to do so.

I am taken my good lady to County Waterford to look for my people( McCarthy )my grandfather named John =Katherine that is all they were born there

Murph - If you're here 7 Sept, Locke's distillery Kilbeggan, you can take the whiskey tasting tour, followed by Kilbeggan races for early evening meeting, followed by Brewery Tap, Tullamore for music (any Monday for the distilery and Tap)...you'll think you've died and gone to heaven :)

Ah, El Presidente socialiste Higgins, will you be inviting us to the unveiling of the Che Guevara statue, near JFK's in Galway city and will be there be a USA flag burning along with the ceremony? I hear your good at both unveiling and flag burning.

Murph, take the train from Dublin to Offaly. Great scenery and outstanding craic on the train. Seanmor, SemperFi!! Same times in.