Obama visit - We should seize this opportunity
The fact that Mr Obama is already highlighting his ancestry from Moneygall, Co Offaly, is another vivid example of America as the great melting pot of diverse humanity.
The visit should provide a welcome opportunity to boost Irish tourism in the current depressed economic circumstances. The infrastructure of tourism has enormous potential for employment, and Irish-based American industries also have great potential. Indeed, the performance of our exports, which are in no small part driven by American companies, has probably been the most positive aspect of our current economic performance.
Ever since the Great Famine, Ireland has turned to America for assistance in times of trouble and strife. This includes leaders from the great Michael Davitt right down to his fellow Mayo man, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who was in the White House on St Patrick’s Day. We have always found the Americans particularly receptive to our calls for assistance.
John F Kennedy’s visit 48 years ago was a very emotive occasion, as he was returning to the land from which his forebearers fled during the Great Famine. It struck a particularly strong emotional chord in the United States. Many American presidents had even closer Irish connections — James Buchanan’s father and Woodrow Wilson’s grandfather were Irish-born — but Kennedy was the first US president to visit this country. Thereafter, it seemed that American presidents actively sought their Irish connections with presidential visits from Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
Bill Clinton provided invaluable help in boosting the peace process in the North during his two presidential visits to this country. In a sense, US presidents were seizing on their visits as opportunities to thank Ireland for her contributions to America. Of course, the visits also accorded the Irish people the chance to show their appreciation of what the US has done for Ireland.
All too often we hear of trendy protesters demonstrating against American foreign policy, whether on the streets of Dublin, or the vicinity of Shannon Airport. These have highlighted an ambivalent attitude in Ireland. Frequently the protesters have only been a vocal minority exercising their right to express their opinions. It is ironic that this right was achieved with considerable American inspiration and help during the past couple of centuries.
The Obama visit should provide a magnificent opportunity to help further cement our mutually advantageous ties with the United States.
