Festival atmosphere as Ballina welcomes 'Uncle Joe' Biden

US president Joe Biden visiting Knock Shrine and Basilica in Mayo with Fr Richard Gibbons, on the last day of his visit to the island of Ireland. Picture: Andrew Downes/Julien Behal Photography/PA Wire

Ballina came alive in a way never seen before to give US president, ‘Uncle Joe’ Biden, both the biggest homecoming and the biggest send-off of his four-day visit to Ireland.

The US president was left in no doubt as to the adoration when his helicopter hovered low over the town last night to the delight of thousands of onlookers.