‘Moneygall will never be the same again’

THE people of Moneygall believe an American presidential visit will change forever their place in history, and it is hard to argue otherwise.

“Moneygall will never be the same again, that’s for sure,” was the reaction of local councillor Peter Ormond to the news that President Obama is to visit the Co Offaly village in May.

Boasting a population of just 298, Moneygall has popped up on news sites all around the globe since it was found to be the birth place of Obama’s great-great -great grandfather Fulmuth Kearney.

Mr Ormond said since news of Mr Obama’s visit was confirmed on St Patrick’s Day, a village committee has been set up to give the president a homecoming to remember.

“It’s great news for Moneygall and the surrounding areas. There is a committee being set up and we are waiting for the itinerary to come out next week and we will go from there. I expect he will visit the ancestral home which is still there on the main street, Templeharry church where his ancestors would have worshipped, the school and Ollie Hayes’ pub of course,” he said.

It was in Hayes’ pub that locals celebrated Obama winning the presidency and outside it fly both the stars and stripes and tricolour.

Henry Healy, an eighth cousin of Mr Obama, hopes to get a chance to shake his distant relative’s hand during the visit.

“I was in Washington for the inauguration but unfortunately I’ve had no contact. On that occasion we were just on a balcony looking down on the inauguration so we weren’t too close to him. But hopefully, this May it will be a different story,” he said.