‘It feels like I’m coming home’

Anton McNulty 

The people of Ballina and Mayo turned out in their thousands along the banks of the Moy to welcome home one of their own.
US President Joe Biden received a hero's welcome to his ancestral hometown on the final leg of his four day tour of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

An estimated 27,000 people lined the banks of the River Moy to get a glimpse of the 46th President of the United States whose great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt left Ballina at the time of the Great Famine.
President Biden arrived on stage to a rapturous welcome shortly before 10pm to the sounds of Dropkick Murphys, 'I'm Shipping Up to Boston' and delighted the crowd when he declared 'It feels like coming home'.

The president spoke heavily of how proud he was of his Irish heritage and how those values shaped him to be a better person. He spoke of the joy of following in the footsteps of President John F Kennedy and how the links between Ireland and the US run deep.
“Everything between Ireland and America runs deep; our history, our heritage, our sorrows, our future, our friendship. But more than anything, hope is what beats in the hearts of our people.

“For centuries during the times of darkness and despair, hope has kept us marching forward toward a better future, one of greater liberty, greater dignity and greater possibilities.”
From early afternoon, the people queued along the streets of the north Mayo capital to get the best vantage point to see President Biden deliver his speech in front of St Muredach's Cathedral.
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.
It was an occasion like no other ever witnessed before in Ballina as the world's press set up camp on the banks of the Moy in front of the historic St Muredach's Cathedral to witness the President's address which was the only public address he delivered during his Irish visit.
President Biden arrived in Co Mayo shortly after 2pm when Air Force One touched down at Ireland West Airport Knock for the historic visit. During his visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, he met by chance Fr Frank O'Grady, a former chaplain with the US military who administered the last rights to the President's late son Beau who died from brain cancer in 2015.

The President then visited Mayo Hospice in Castlebar where there is a plage in memory of Beau and he referenced this in his speech in Ballina telling the crowd: “I can tell you how special it is that a piece of his legacy lives here among his ancestors.”
As darkness fell over the Moy, it was evident that the President was running behind schedule but the crowd were entertained firstly by Irish bands The Academic and The Coronas and then by the legendary folk group, The Chieftains, who were reunited for the special occasion.
The showers of rain failed to dampen the mood of the crowd with a rainbow appearing over the cathedral following one of those showers lifting their spirits even further.

As The Chieftains' set was coming to an end there was a sudden cheer from the crowd at 9.20pm as the president's Marine One helicopter flew low over the Moy.
Miniature tri-colours and stars and stripes were vigorously waved by the crowd as President Biden arrived on stage after being introduced first by Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Mark Duffy and then by Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.
President Biden spoke of how this was the third trip he has made to Ballina and every time he arrived it felt like it was coming home.
“Over the years, stories of this place have become part of my soul, part of my family love,” while adding that he grew up in a home with a 'fierce pride in our Irish ancestry'.
“A pride that spoke to both the history that binds us but more importantly the values that unite us.
“To this day I can still remember hearing my dad say at the dinner table, 'Joey, everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect', I can still hear my mom tell me, 'Joey, no nobody is better than you but everyone is your equal'.
Before departing Ballina for his return to Washington DC and concluding his successful Irish visit, President Biden had one final message for the people of Mayo. “Mayo for Sam,” was his final rallying cry to the delight of the adoring masses.