First Lady to give speech at Gaiety

US First Lady Michelle Obama will address a group of young Irish people this evening, who have been selected to join her and her daughters Malia,14, and Sasha,12, for a performance of Riverdance at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre.

Mrs Obama plans to make a speech to the youngsters in the theatre, where she will be hosted by the Taoiseach’s wife, Fionnuala Kenny, and Irish First Lady, Sabina Higgins.

Mrs Obama and her daughters will fly into Dublin at lunchtime for a short visit coinciding with President Barack Obama’s attendance at the G8 summit in Co Fermanagh.

Their first stop will be Trinity College where they will view the Book of Kells. They will also be shown archives documenting Obama’s Irish ancestry.

Mrs Obama will spend tonight at the Shelbourne Hotel’s €2,500-a-night Princess Grace Suite on St Stephen’s Green. Her daughters have adjoining suites of their own.

On Tuesday, they will take a walk in the Wicklow hills and visit Glendalough.

They are expected to fly to Belfast on Tuesday to join Mr Obama for his onward visit to Germany.