Blewitt family thrilled to welcome cousin Joe Biden

When US President Joe Biden met his cousin Laurita Blewitt on his visit to Mayo on Friday, she admitted giving him a pinch to make sure it was not a dream.
“I didn’t actually believe this day would happen,” she told The Mayo News in Ballina on Friday evening. “I gave him [President Biden] a pinch today to see if he was real, to see it was definitely happening.”
The links between Joe Biden and Ballina came to prominence in 2008 when the then Senator from Delaware was chosen as Barack Obama’s running mate in that years US Presidential elections.
It emerged that his great-great-great grandfather, Edward Blewitt was from Garden Street in Ballina and along with his family left north Mayo for Scanton, Pennsylvania in 1851.
Since 2008 strong friendships have been forged between President Biden and the Blewitts and it was referenced by the President in his address on Friday evening.
“It means the world to me and my entire family to be embraced as Mayo Joe and son of Ballina.
My grandmother whose maiden name was Blewitt will be smiling down on me right now. I want to acknowledge my family, all the Blewitts, you make me proud,” he told the Ballina crowd.
Before President Biden took to the stage, Laurita said that her family were thrilled that he had come to Mayo and was making his public speech along the banks of the Moy.
“It is absolutely unbelievable … to be here and see so many people out in this miserable weather to welcome him to Ballina to his ancestral home is incredible. We are delighted to be part of it.

Favourite place
“He loves Mayo, it is his favourite place. He is absolutely thrilled to be here and it is testament to how important Mayo is to him, especially Ballina, that he wanted to make his speech, here despite all the people saying he should do it in Dublin. It is amazing and incredible. We are thrilled to be part of it and what can you do but enjoy it,” she said.
Laurita works with Mayo Roscommon Hospice and through her relationship with President Biden, he obliged her to turn the sod on the new hospice building in Castlebar in 2017.
A plaque in memory to President Biden’s late son Beau who died of brain cancer in 2015 was erected at the new hospice and this was also referenced in his speech.
“I had the honour of turning the sod at hospice. Thanks to cousin Laurita Blewitt and many others, she’s incredible by the way, there’s a marker in memory of my son, Beau. I can tell you how special it is that a piece of his legacy lays here among the home of his ancestors.”
Laurita commented that it was a privilege to host President Biden at the new hospice which she described as ‘emotional’.
“It was lovely that it was private and very special and personal. It was very emotional actually for everyone who was there. He got to see some of the patients. It is a place full of dignity and respect and he was very mindful of that and it was very special.”