He became famous as "Henry the VIII", the eight times removed cousin of Barack Obama, but Henry Healy become just another unemployment statistic in Ireland yesterday.
The Moneygall, County Offaly, man lost his job as a bookkeeper for a plumbing company and joined the 15 percent of Ireland who are unemployed.
Henry has tasted the high life after he led the local village in its crusade to bring the 44th president of the United States to their little hamlet.
He played a key role and became a firm favorite of Obama, along with local publican Ollie Hayes.
Just this past March he was given a VIP tour of the White House by the president himself and downed a pint with him in the Dubliner Pub in Washington.
Last year he was front and center in Moneygall and at Ollie Hayes pub when the President and First Lady dropped in.
Healy was a real hit with the news media, telegenic, quick with a quote and likeable and his new unemployment status has not dimmed his good cheer.
He stated he was interested in teaching and was applying for a diploma that would allow him to.
And there is likely always a spot behind the bar at Hayes Pub if he cannot find any other work. He would likely be among the most famous barmen in Ireland.
His link to the president was discovered by genealogist Megan Smolenyak when she traced Obama’s roots to Moneygall and to Healy’s forefathers.
Here's a clip of Henry Healy and Ollie Hayes talking to TV3 about their trip to Washington:
18 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.pilib04 | Jun 01, 2012, 09:47 PM EDT
Standing next to his cousin, the President's Irish looks really come out. Is feidir linn.
Springfield9 | Jun 01, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT
he appears to have been caught in a storm of stupid
BrianO | May 30, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT
does this guy ever where a tie?
Bythebay | May 30, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
There are various polls showing various results for each candidate. The only poll that will count will be the one on election day.
IrishAndProud | May 29, 2012, 09:46 PM EDT
Sorry, pndirishandprou, but your very post betrays A) your own white guilt, and B) your rather obvious and embarrassing insecurities about Obama. Unfortunately no polls back up your claims. Obama is either tied or below Romney in virtually every national poll - which are only trending away from Obama, not toward him. BTW Romney is not 'my' candidate (he was almost my last choice to go against Obama), but now that he's been chosen, this independent is voting for him (as are most independents...again, just look at the polls). As for racism, that's YOUR boy, kiddo. His record's been pretty bad on that front, with that AG he has. Obama's a passe fad. It's not 2008 anymore, and he no longer has majority support on even a single, solitary issue.
borefield | May 29, 2012, 05:16 PM EDT
They look like identical twins! The difference is , one of them has a job, for now!
Murph46 | May 29, 2012, 05:08 PM EDT
pndirishandprou-would you like to tell the world just how those policies got enacted in a Democratic Congress!You revisionists crack me up!
pndirishandprou | May 29, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT
@ racist IrishAndProud: wishful thinking. Your plastic man will go down in November because most people are smarter than you and your ilk, knowing very well who and what caused the recession: exactly the same failed policies the Republicans are dusting off and want to impose on us again. It's not going to happen!!
McNamara31 | May 29, 2012, 04:45 PM EDT
The same OTC
IrishAndProud | May 29, 2012, 03:04 PM EDT
Well, if it's any comfort to Mr. Healy, his 'cousin' (the anti-white guy with the non-Irish-as-you-can-get Star Wars name) will soon be unemployed, as well.
Bythebay | May 29, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT
noelogara, and you're apparently an idiot when it comes to surnames in Ireland and their variations as well as Irish emigrant surnames and their variations. You must surround yourself with no nothing idiots who make such ridiculous statements.
noelogara | May 29, 2012, 02:32 PM EDT
Obama is no more his cousin than the man in the moon. Somebody altered the name from Carney to Karney. Obama surrounds himself with the useful idiot type.
Bythebay | May 29, 2012, 02:17 PM EDT
The US is the haven for illegals which you apparently can't do anything about. "Irish America" even want amnesty for Irish illegals, yes Henry could opt for that!! The Irish Emigrant Centers in New York could get him sorted before he could even say "I'll have a Guinness please" at the local ""Irish run bars.
Nelsonbarry | May 29, 2012, 12:56 PM EDT
Obama should bring him to Boston and he could join the other Obama relatives living off the state with their illegal status in public housing.
rbrochard | May 29, 2012, 12:18 PM EDT
i mean...im sure ill find something
joepen5 | May 29, 2012, 12:09 PM EDT
tougher days ahead.
joepen5 | May 29, 2012, 11:49 AM EDT
hey, at least he's not living in a slum, in a shack, in Kenya, like barrack obama's half brother George.
Daytonavejim | May 29, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
Times are hard for everyone. Maybe he should move here and stay at the White House, go on vacation with the First family, fly around on Air Force One, just like all of their other free loading relatives do.