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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Bad weather could ground President Obama's Moneygall trip ----White House is reluctant to travel by road says memo

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Bad weather could ground President Obama's Moneygall trip ----White House is reluctant to travel by road says memo

Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 04:59 AM

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President Obama’s trip to Moneygall, to his ancestral village, may be in jeopardy because of weather conditions.

The forecast for Monday May 23, his day in Ireland, is for persistent rain with strong winds which may well be enough to ground Marine One, the president’s helicopter.

If that happens the only access will be by road, but a White House briefing seen by Irish Central makes it clear that weather could play havoc with his plans.

The memo states “ If he has to drive because of weather it would be a long drive almost certainly too long of a drive even with a police escort. It took an advance team 1 hour 42 minutes to get there driving the N7, a divided four lane highway towards Limerick, a drive that goes by sprawling green fields and lots of sheep and cattle grazing.”

The memo makes clear the advance team also had a police escort.

There is precedence for a grounded presidential helicopter.

During one of his visits to Ireland, President Clinton was forced to drive from Dublin to Belfast rather than fly after heavy rain grounded his helicopter. On that occasion thousands showed up by the side of the highway to cheer him on.

Met Eireann, the official weather forecasting service. predicts that Monday will indeed be wet and very windy.

Their prediction is that “rain and strong winds will spread east to all parts overnight. The rain will continue into Monday morning accompanied by southwest gales with some severe gusts across the north and west. The rain will clear on Monday afternoon to be followed by blustery showers.”

Obama has a packed schedule in Ireland but a non appearance in Moneygall would be a shattering blow to the tiny Offaly village which has pulled out all the stops to make the president feel at home.

The world media has made clear his visit to Moneygall is the highlight of his Irish and indeed his European trip.They have descended on the tiny little Offaly village in huge numbers.

Fulmuth Kearney, the great grandfather of Obama’s great grandfather on his mother’s side left the village in 1850 to go to America, to Ross County in Ohio where his father had been left land by his brother.

Obama is due back in Dublin to his hotel in early evening and from then on to his public appearance in College Green in the heart of the capital city..

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51 comments

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peterson | May 23, 2011, 06:55 PM EDT

Obama probably has more enemies than any previous U.S. president including Nixon which does not help matters.

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McNamara31 | May 22, 2011, 01:45 PM EDT

Per Skibberrean in his prior post: "He doesn't care about his WHITE IRISH HERITAGE! He is BLACK no matter what, if they are half of anything, they always go BLACK"...At least stand for what "you are" man. And for your story of your early Irish immigrant family; one thing is for sure you haven’t learned a thing.

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Skibberrean | May 22, 2011, 12:41 PM EDT

Oh poor, poor McNamara! I an not a racist, nor was I raised one. When my people came to America through Ellis Island (LEGALLY)they were told no Irish need apply. G.W.Bush was not perfect, but we felt safe and he has the ultimate respect for our military. Unlike little Barry who had to be taught how to salute and that took awhile. God Help and Bless America, keep it safe from this Communist that is in OUR WHITE HOUSE!!

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maloney | May 21, 2011, 10:41 PM EDT

I hope for Moneygall's sake obama shows up. deburca...you act like President Bush, who I'm not a fan of, didn't catch h*ll on IC every day for 8 years and is still being blamed for things today. deburca, deburca, sounds like a rag worn on the head in Detriot.

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billyjustin | May 21, 2011, 07:51 PM EDT

look at lizzy when she went to the rock of cashel, clouds opened and the sun came out, when she left the clouds closed again, cop on pilots, we are in ireland where funny things happen..

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skyrider | May 21, 2011, 07:41 PM EDT

If Marine One can't go beyond the pale, then nothing can. Go on Mr President. U R also leader of the brave N the land of the free.

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deburca | May 21, 2011, 05:26 PM EDT

@kateomprint I think what they're afraid of is that the weather is going to keep the helicopter grounded. He's only there for the one day so driving may be out of the question due to time constraints. I hope he makes it though, it sounds like there has been a great deal of preparation.

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kateomprint | May 21, 2011, 05:09 PM EDT

surely he is not such a wimp that he is going to let a bit of wind and rain put him off coming to Moneygall. Its what were famous for wet and windy. All of us who will be in Monegall are going to party anyway

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goldenblade | May 21, 2011, 04:14 PM EDT

wilhoef - look in the mirror. Seriously folks - god gave us all a brain - some seem so keen in swapping theirs for soggy cabbage.

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deburca | May 21, 2011, 04:13 PM EDT

@wilhoef - why would you be here "praying" for me? Didn't you disappear with the rest of the Right Wing in the Rapture today?? Oops, sorry, did they leave you behind? Well, the day is not over.

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deburca | May 21, 2011, 04:10 PM EDT

seanaci, it is your perogative to vote any way you like. I happen to disagree with you. However, pick someone and vote for them, that's the American way. Online bashing of the standing, duly elected president (as we're seeing in every thread on this site that mentions Obama) is NOT the American way, it's the new teabagger way and it is tiresome. This article is about what might be very disappointing, if the weather keeps President Obama away, to the town of Moneygall where the residents have put a lot of energy, time and money into welcoming our President. Having policy issues with a president is one thing, but tbagger trolls and others claiming to have voted for him who saturate every blog that mentions his name with irrational hatred and bashing is not politics, political discourse or even normal behavior.

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wilhoef | May 21, 2011, 03:48 PM EDT

It is an unfortunate reality that God makes idiots. It is obvious that deburca is one of them. Should we pray for him?

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seanaci | May 21, 2011, 03:16 PM EDT

I live – and vote – in the US. I voted for Obama. It was a waste of effort and time. He sold “change” and “hope”. Change we could believe in. Change in the way Washington worked. Hope that ordinary Americans would have a voice at the table against the 2%. Yet nothing has changed. Hope has vanished. Health so-called reform was a corporate boondoggle similar to the Bush era MMA. Financial so-called reform left the same system in place and the same people in charge plus we have a gang of Scrooges and Gringes about to gut welfare systems to punish the less fortunate for daring to suggest fair taxation. Instead of changing Bush area lawlessness or holding people accountable, Obama has embraced it and added more egregious activities while blocking all efforts to use our justice system to investigate, compensate and, if needed, prosecute. All the wars – in reality occupations – continue and more were added. Efforts to protect citizens drag on and perish in Congress or the White House. But the Administration can act within days to go after Wikileaks. One scenario that explains it all is that global corporations are preparing for the time when the Asian markets are where the profits arise. With the help Congress and the Administration and, of course, the Supreme Court, they are conditioning ordinary Americans to renege on the country’s founding principles and accept minimal wages, unsafe working conditions, no freedoms and “disposability” in order to survive. At least then we might see manufacturing return. Obama is just checking in on Ireland to make sure that the same thing is being done there as ordered by international bankers to whom he reports. He and they should be well pleased with results to date.

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deburca | May 21, 2011, 02:47 PM EDT

@Ailnsred1 1-Too bad Bush got Bin Laden, otherwise Obama could have done it - wait - Bush didn't get Bin Laden. Never mind. 2-Also, the royal wedding was not a state event and no heads of state were invited. 3-What does this article have to do with Bin Laden or the royal wedding? Oh, sorry EVERYTHING having to do with President Obama is an opportunity for loser tbaggers to vent.

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goldenblade | May 21, 2011, 02:13 PM EDT

It's a good thing all the idiots are gathered at IrishCentral - keeps them occupied. In the meantime Ireland gets ready to welcome the most popular US president ever who has restored America to something worthwhile after Bush destroyed it methodically and its appearance overseas. I wonder if these Obama bashers have ever left the US? Or their State? Maybe they aren't allowed passports lol - thank God!!

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