“Is Féidir Linn!” – “Yes We Can!”

One very lucky parent in our school, Mrs. Jackie Neale, got to go to Moneygall and meet the President of the United States Of America, Mr. Barack Obama.  Here, she tells us what the whole day was like and how much she enjoyed this very special occasion!

“I can’t believe that I am standing here in the middle of Moneygall, rain pouring down on us, Gardaí lining the street, sleek-looking Secret Service Agents scanning the actions of every person there, waiting to get a glimpse of the most powerful man in the world.  We were waiting for President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.  At 3.40 pm, we overheard one guard telling a colleague that his helicopter had just landed.  We got very excited, the long queue, being scanned similar to that in the airport, getting soaked and windswept, aching feet, hungry and cold…Would it be worth it in the end?  We stood opposite Ollie Hayes pub.  President Obama entered his ancestral home, then he bought some gifts for his two daughters.  He then continued into the pub where he and Michelle had a pint of Guinness with his relations.  We shouted at a vehicle to move up so that we could see him leaving the pub, but the driver ignored us.  These Secret Service Agents were on their guard at all times.  And then, after nearly giving up on even seeing them, they left the pub and walked swiftly over to the barrier and shook hands with us all.  Such an elegant couple, relaxed and enjoying the warm welcome they got in the small village of Moneygall.”

Jackie also sent in her official invitation.  This is a piece of history and I’m sure she will treasure it for a very long time!

Thank you so much Jackie for sharing your experiences of President Obama’s visit with us all!