President Obama looks forward to “experiencing the warmth of the people of Fermanagh” during the G8 Summit

Pilib, people in the republic have to be realistic. Firstly, they cannot afford the cost of the huge security operation that would ensue from an Obama visit, this on top of what the presidency of the EU next year will cost. Secondly, president Obama can't just head off down south for a few pints with the lads, given the problems facing him at home and those that may be addressed at the meeting in Fermanagh. I may be wrong, but isn't there an annual EU/US meeting. Might this be held during Ireland's presidency? To save costs maybe Obama could park Marine One in the local GAA club and bunk down over Ollie Hayes's pub.

Is he aware of the democratically challanged circumstrances under which the UK was originally united (sic)? Or of the equally democratically challanged circumstances of how the island of Ireland was divided? How possible is it to have peace and prosperity when constitutional sleights-of-hand are not factored into the economic equation? The United States and the European Union (not least a reunited Germany) are macroeconomically well placed to assist the United Kingdom in bringing about a united Ireland, undoing centuries of injustices.

The President will get quite the Cead Mile Failte when he arrives in Enniskillen. I hope he gets a chance for a return visit to Moneygall.