Obama’s Offaly cousin loses accounts job

US President Barack Obama’s eighth cousin Henry Healy became a casualty of the economic downturn yesterday after losing his job of seven years.

The Co Offaly native was thrust onto the world stage in 2007, when American genealogist Megan Smolenyak discovered President Obama’s Irish ancestral home in Moneygall and his connection to Mr Healy.

Since then, Mr Healy has had countless official and media engagements, visited the White House, and played host to the President and First Lady during their historic Irish visit on May 23, 2011.