No light packing for US president

ONE thing you can take for granted about US President Barack Obama’s visit to Ireland next week: he won’t be travelling light.

While the finer details of his visit have yet to be announced, the Irish public will get its first chance to see Mr Obama when a White House cavalcade — complete with armoured limousines, helicopters, hundreds of US secret service staff and a six-doctor medical team — sweeps into the country.

Mr Obama will have White House kitchen staff with him to prepare his meals while his 500 security staff check for bugs and bacteria that could be used in attacks against the president.