Biden begins tour of Mayo

Anton McNulty

US President Joe Biden has arrived in Mayo after Air Force One landed in Ireland West Airport Knock to begin his whirlwind tour of the county.
President Biden emerged from Air Force One at approximately 1.56pm and was greeted by the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Seamus Weir, and a number of other local dignitaries including Mayo TDs Dara Calleary, Michael Ring and Alan Dillon and Chairperson of Ireland West Airport, Arthur French.

President Biden’s long awaited visit to the ancestral home of his great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt, who came from Ballina, concludes his four-day visit to Ireland to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
This is the first time a sitting US President has visited Mayo. President Biden has a number of engagements in the county before finishing the day in Ballina with a public speech outside St Muredach’s Cathedral on the banks of the River Moy.

The location is poignant for the President as his great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped him to afford to buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851.
The first leg of his visit to Mayo will begin with a private visit of prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, before travelling to Castlebar for a private visit to Mayo Roscommon Hospice.

In 2017, President Biden turned the sod on the site of the new hospice in Castlebar and sent a videolink message for the official opening. The President’s son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015 and the hospice has previously paid tribute to the former Delaware Attorney General.
Following his visit to the hospice, President Biden and his entourage will travel to the North Mayo Heritage ‪and Genealogical Centre’s Family History Research Unit at Enniscoe House in Crossmolina.‬

Public speech
From there he will head for in Ballina for the highlight of the Mayo trip where he will ‪deliver his only public speech during his Irish trip outside St Muredach’s Cathedral on the banks of the River Moy.‬
Thousands of people are expected to gather along the banks of the Moy for a free outdoor with gates opening at 5.30pm and the official program to begin at 7pm.
Irish rock bands The Coronas and The Academic and legendary Irish folk band The Chieftains will be among the musical acts to perform in Ballina, prior to a public address by US President Joe Biden, who expected to arrive in after 8pm to deliver his address to the Ballina public at 9pm.
Ballina have been hoping that President Biden would visit the north Mayo capital since the day he was elected. Cathaoirleach of the Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Mark Duffy said the visit by President Biden will be a homecoming and he hopes everyone enjoys the historic event.
“This is something we all of dreamed of. In a Mayo context St Muredach’s Cathedral is  an iconic location for the people of Mayo and is one of our centre pieces in Ballina. But now it is going to be elevated to the eyes of the world as a centre piece and people will say this is where President Biden made his speech that time. That will make it an iconic location and a tourism spot and that prospect is something you can never dream with.”
An Garda Siochána have asked the public to be aware of traffic delays around the county during the day and diversions will be in place around Castlebar and Ballina.
Following his address to the public in Ballina, President Biden will depart Mayo from Ireland West Airport Knock for Dublin before returning to Washington DC.