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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Obama likely to visit 'Lost Tomb,' resting place of early ancestor, in Kilkenny on Irish trip

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Obama likely to visit 'Lost Tomb,' resting place of early ancestor, in Kilkenny on Irish trip

Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 06:55 PM

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This column was first to predict Obama would visit Ireland this May and now I predict Barack Obama will visit Dublin, Moneygall and likely Kilkenny City where the 'lost tomb' of his long ago relative was recently discovered.

Obama is due in Ireland on May 23rd.

St.Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny is where the remains of Bishop John Kearney , Obama's sixth generation granduncle, is buried.
The story of the discovery of his tomb reads like a Dan Brown plot.

John Kearney was the Bishop of Ossory and a former provost of Trinity College who died in Kilkenny city at the Bishop's Palace in 1813. It is now the headquarters of the Heritage Council.

Film maker Gabriel Murray, who has made a documentary on Obama's Irish roots, finally found “Obama’s Lost Tomb” inside the 13th century St. Canice’s Cathedral.

Murray, along with Cathedral assistant Frances Moore, used a centuries-old map to identify a hidden vault under the floor of St. Canice’s.

They deciphered the Latin on the hundreds of tombs inside the vault, when they came across Bishop John Kearney’s resting place, number 19 on the map, just 20 yards from the main entrance.

Kilkenny's relative proximity to Moneygall --it is about 60 miles would make it a obvious choice for a major address by Obama after Moneygall.

It is also the only known physical family connection.
Moneygall is where his sixth generation ancestor Fulmuth Kearney left from to move to America.

A trip to Northern Ireland has been specifically ruled out according to sources who say that British Prime Minister Cameron would have to be there to greet him and the two men are due to meet in London a day later.

White House sources say they have been swamped with offers for Obama to speak in Ireland but the advance team is only just being put in place now.

Now the exciting prospect of a visit by the 44th president of the United States is on the horizon.

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jdi2269 | Mar 23, 2011, 04:49 PM EDT

ISN'T IT INTERESTING YOU CAN FIND AN ANCESTOR FOR OBAMA IN IRELAND, HOWEVER NO ONE CAN FIND A SINGLE GIRL THAT OBAMA EVER DATED! (AND THE SHEEP AREN'T TALKING)

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elektros | Mar 23, 2011, 04:11 PM EDT

A catholic bishop couldn't actually be anyone's ancestor, at least not legitimately, now could he?

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RedBranch | Mar 23, 2011, 03:50 PM EDT

All together now....There's no one 128th. Irish as Barack O'Bama.

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irishbob | Mar 23, 2011, 02:45 PM EDT

It’s not surprising Obama has discovered an Irish ancestor. Believe me, if this numbnuts were going to Russia, his lackies would find some way to come up with long lost relatives that were once sent to the Gulags by some Russian Tsar. Probably for the crime of being a “Community Organizer” which just goes to prove the apple does not fall far from the tree.

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whiteycat | Mar 23, 2011, 02:02 PM EDT

Just like the book Dreams of my father I am sure he will have fake stories to discuss.No one is a better blarney speaker than Osa...oops Obama

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whiteycat | Mar 23, 2011, 01:56 PM EDT

He needs another vacation. He just cannot cope with it all.Why is this news?

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RWBohn49 | Mar 23, 2011, 01:35 PM EDT

"Now the exciting prospect of a visit by the 43rd president of the United States is on the horizon." "W" was the 43rd president, "O" is the 44th president. Is Bush going to Ireland, or was it a typ"O".

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antoman | Mar 23, 2011, 01:16 PM EDT

@jcaulfield-We just deployed 100,000 Irish to America.90% percent of them from Cork.Let nature take its course.I reckon about 30-35 years.

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jcaulfield | Mar 23, 2011, 01:07 PM EDT

There are two Irish camps in America, the Irish Protestant Camp and the Irish Catholic Camp. The Protestants have been so successful that they have managed to put more than 20 of their men, Oboma included, into the White House and the Catholics have been so fragmented that they have only managed to elect JFK. This is something to think about.

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peterrocco | Mar 23, 2011, 01:00 PM EDT

the only use for his trip is to announce he will speak to the british p.m. and tell him it is time for a declaration of intent to leave ireland. all this flowery sentimental crap is bogus, like the peace process which only pleases the british diaspora who support. it is worse than partition.

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antoman | Mar 23, 2011, 10:52 AM EDT

@IrishJets47-I hear ya.I still sometimes trip up and say Osama.

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IrishJets47 | Mar 23, 2011, 10:38 AM EDT

Not much big on Obama find it very hard to believe he even part irish with a last name like that.

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ChiChione | Mar 23, 2011, 10:35 AM EDT

Mr. O'Dowd: President Obama is the 44th President of the United States. The 43rd President was George W. Bush.

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denisbergin | Mar 23, 2011, 09:44 AM EDT

Just be aware that (a) there is no firm evidence that the bishop's father and the remotest Obama Irish ancestor (Joseph Kearney of Shinrone) were brothers; (b) even if they were, the bishop would be a distant and removed cousin of the President; (c) the President's Kearney ancestors had been emigrating to the US since the 1780s - Fulmoth in 1850 (and his parents in 1851) were simply the last to leave.

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antoman | Mar 23, 2011, 09:44 AM EDT

To look at President Obama is to remember the rape sheds in Virginia America.The English shipped us Irish over there as slaves to work on their plantations.Because our skin burned,Irish women would be put in huts with black men so that the offspring would not burn while working the fields.Are you shaking your head in disbelief?Its true.

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