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President Obama urges all of Northern Ireland to back the peace process - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:19:04 PDT

By: JAMES O'SHEA

President Obama landed in Belfast this morning and delivered a strong speech urging Northern Ireland leaders to stay on course on the peace process.

Secret Service agents take to the Fermanagh fields to protect President Obama – in brand new tractors (IrishCentral)

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:44:12 PDT

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

Locals are laughing at British and American Secret Service attempts to disguise themselves as farmers around the G8 summit – in sparkling new tractors.

President Obama’s visit to North comes at a critical time for peace process - Hopes that he can help stop slow slide into the dark side (IrishCentral)

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:19:24 PDT

President Obama speaking at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Monday morning (Credit: Reuters)Don’t look now but President Obama’s trip to Northern Ireland is coming at a critical timeContrary to some opinion it is a vital visitHis speech at Waterfront Hall was less significant for what he said rather than the fact that he made itWhen the President of the United States pays attention to an issue then everyone else does too READ MORE

Obama to make historic speech on Northern Ireland in Belfast next week (IrishCentral)

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:35:14 PDT

By: NIALL O'DOWD

President Obama will make a major speech about the Northern Irish situation at the Waterfront conference center in Belfast on Monday. He will be in Ireland for the G8 summit in Enniskillen next week.

President Obama got by with a little help from his friends at DOJ, IRS,MSM and now even the NSA? (IrishCentral)

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:04:21 PDT

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President Obama's cousin Henry Healy chosen as a Rose of Tralee escort for summer festival (IrishCentral)

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:36:32 PDT

By: JANE WALSH

Henry Healy the 8th cousin of President, Barack Obama, has been selected to take his place as a Newbridge Silverware Escort at the 2013 Rose of Tralee International festival this summer.

Getting the calls - the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution and Obama Administrations access to phone lines (IrishCentral)

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 03:34:15 PDT

Obama v the Fourth AmendmentThe Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution reads:“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized”Last week, the British newspaper The Guardian, reported that a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court order, was signed by Judge Roger Vinson, commanding Verizon to turn over all telephone records for all phone lines - both land and wireless – for each and every one of their customers, both private and commercialThe top secret warrant is said to cover all local calls made within the US as well as calls made abroadThe Obama Administration has defended such actions sighting national security concerns and believes that such broad surveillance was made legal under the "business records" provision of the USA Patriot ActBut do these warrants fully square with the fundamental meaning of the Fourth Amendment? And if not - if we are not in full compliance with the Constitution which so proudly binds this great nation together, then who or what are we really trying to protect with such practices?To square with the Fourth Amendment with such surveillance specific questions must be addressed:Are such warrants reasonable? Is there probable cause to track the calls of every person in America? Does any oath or affirmation particularly describe the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized? Do these practices make you secure upon your person, home, papers or effects? In other words are these broad surveillance powers consistent with our constitutional guarantees or is it a blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment?I certainly understand the need for national security in an environment where terrorists and criminality threaten our safety and well-being READ MORE

Israeli groups mobilize to block Irish-born Samantha Power as Obama’s UN Ambassador (IrishCentral)

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:11:35 PDT

By: JAMES O'SHEA

Irish-born Samantha Power had barely been announced as next U.S. ambassador to the U.N when the Israeli lobby launched major attacks on her.

An open letter to President Obama - some handy local tips for his visit to Ireland (IrishCentral)

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:03:55 PDT

Illustration by Caty BartholomewDear President Obama,Not alone are you returning to Ireland one of these fine days, probably with your family I hear, but you will be spending almost all of your time on this Emerald Isle in the county of Fermanagh where I was bred and born Accordingly you are doubly and trebly welcome, and I hope the summit which brings you here with the other powerful world leaders goes wellConsider this as an early and perhaps unique briefing document in advance of your trip It contains the kind of local knowledge about Fermanagh and Enniskillen and the Killadeas venue for the summit which even the most astute of your aides are unlikely to access elsewhere READ MORE

No U.S Ambassador to Ireland in place until September at least say insiders - No envoy in Dublin for Barack and Michelle Obama trip to Ireland in June (IrishCentral)

Tue, 14 May 2013 04:18:41 PDT

Former US Ambassador Dan Rooney and President Barack ObamaThere will be no US ambassador to Ireland in place until at least September say Washington sources who state that a couple of top names have been derailed because of background check issuesIt means that no U READ MORE

Chicago congressman in disfavor with Obama contender for Ambassador to Ireland? Rep. Dan Lipinski discussed widely as favorites fail vetting process (IrishCentral)

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:17:36 PDT

Congressman Dan LipinskiCould Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois be appointed Ambassador to Ireland? While on the surface it appears unlikely, it was Lipinski’s name that was most on the lips of Washington insiders at the St Patrick’s bash in the White House last weekThe Lipinski boomlet was fueled by speculation that several likely candidates had failed the stringent background checks and had dropped out One, a former Irish American politician was said to have been among the favorites READ MORE

“Bang Bang” Obama shoots himself in the foot with gun photo -- Ridiculous effort to have it both ways backfires badly on him (IrishCentral)

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 04:16:21 PST

Barack Obama shooting "skeet" at Camp David (Getty)It is Barack Obama’s “I didn’t inhale” moment when he looks silly, dumb and plain stupidI’m talking about the picture of our president shooting off some kind of gun at Camp David and pretending he is somehow on the side of gun ownersHe’s not and he knows it and so does the worldSome clever(?) PR guy wanted it both ways and released the old photo of the president skeet shooting, whatever that is READ MORE

What now for the Catholic Church? Obama’s reelection and schools among questions that need to be answered (IrishCentral)

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 05:30:47 PST

Cardinal Timothy DolanWhen the Academy Award nominations are announced on January 10, Mea Maxima Culpa may or may not be one of the five films up for Best Documentary The film, about the sexual abuse horrors Wisconsin’s Reverend Lawrence Murphy is accused of, was on a shortlist of 15 top documentaries back in December Either way, the film directed by Alex Gibney has already made a troubling case not only against Murphy, but the Vatican as wellWith the New Year upon us, and a grueling election which grappled with tough religious questions behind us, it is probably time to ask -- what is the future of the Catholic Church in America?Given the revelations in Mea Maxima Culpa, given the election results and the ongoing restructuring of Catholic schools across the U READ MORE

Notre Dames defeat by Alabama was God's plan, claims religious zealot - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:00:51 PST

William TapleyLet's face it, for most Notre Dame fans Monday night's national championship game felt like a three hour visit to the dentistThe Fighting Irish were, to put it mildly, routed And one rather strange man who predicted the outcome also claims he knows whyAlmighty God, claims William Tapley, is was sending America a stark message: President Obama is the Leopard, the fourth beast mentioned in the Book of Daniel READ MORE

Joe Biden is saving President Obama’s political skin says Maureen Dowd -- Irish American VP the real star of the Obama administration she claims (IrishCentral)

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 04:30:43 PST

Joe Biden and Barack Obama speak to the press(Photo: Washington Blade)Joe Biden is the real star of the Obama administration says New York Times columnist Maureen DowdThe Irish American VP has the ability to schmooze and to get along with Republicans, which President Obama seems unable to do, she writes“Obama radiates contempt at Congress for not being a bunch of high-minded, effective people, and for expecting him to clean up its mess“Biden is a realist READ MORE

Can Mike Bloomberg keep Barack Obama honest on new gun laws? -- Obama’s speech in Newtown reveals he has got the message - for now (IrishCentral)

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 04:31:46 PST

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on NBC's "Meet the Press" (Photo:NBC)Let’s hear it for Mike Bloomberg for putting it up to President Obama in no uncertain fashion on the guns issue in AmericaThe bodies of the little ones and adults killed in Newtown are hardly cold and already we are hearing the weasel words of the gun lobby about how kindergarten teachers should be armed and people kill people not gunsThis time however we see an enormous revulsion across the country against the insane unregulated market in guns for madmen, psychopaths, and the deranged that exists in the US READ MORE

Guests of the nation: Queen Elizabeth, Obama, Ireland's history and its future (IrishCentral)

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:25:11 PDT

Queen's visit to the Garden of Remembrance Source: Government PoolThe much heralded and trumpeted visits of presidents and monarchs have come and gone, and dignity fatigue has kicked in as the Irish masses are said to be on the verge of national meltdown from collective good behaviour and putting on such a brave showOur Taoiseach has gone on primetime TV to specially congratulate us, the people on “not bringing shame on our nation” during the queen’s visit One Sunday paper, the likely candidate, was even peddling headlines like, “proud to be Irish, proud to be British”Just as the Scots are on verge of striking camp and declaring nationhood, there are some seriously flirtatious eyes being made in some media and governing circles here at a common wealth with the perilous state of the collective coffers being cited READ MORE

My little trip to the Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert rally in DC (IrishCentral)

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 06:55:13 PDT

One guy had a sign that said "Jon Stewart was my idea" Some people had t-shirts with George Bush saying into a talky bubble "I did it, but thanks for blaming it on the black guy" There was also a Viking long ship the length of a bus on-hand, manned by dancers in hornsFor twenty bucks on Saturday, I got a Chinatown bus smelling like an old-school subway to Washington DC READ MORE

Assimilating differently, Irish Americans re-discover Gaelic Ireland (IrishCentral)

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 05:25:14 PDT

President O'Bama said it best when he said "is féidir linn," "yes we can," at a Saint Patrick's Day reception last year in the White House More and more these days, Irish Gaelic is returning to Irish American life at functions and in art, as perceptions of what makes something Irish shift towards more detail and care In multi-cultural America, the old Irish American assimilation model is giving way and making it possible for Irish Americans to rediscover what they were once told to give-up in the past Irish Americans have battled on behalf of "The Others" (themselves foremost) in American history for a hundred years, giving-up their language and culture as payment for acceptance READ MORE

Pulling up Barack Obama's roots, Newt Gingrich endorses British colonialism (IrishCentral)

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:40:15 PDT

Academics are often compared to masterbators--especially the ones on TV The porn that gets social science academics 'off,' is race If there were a moratorium on race-talk in America for a month, academics and TV pundits would just stare at the camera like sex-starved prostitutes Newt Gingrich is both academic and politician READ MORE