President Obama’s visit - We need to expand our horizons

THE visit of Queen Elizabeth II last week, followed by the arrival of President Barack Obama yesterday, shows that this country enjoys a presence that far exceeds what might be expected of a tiny country of just four million people.

Ireland figuratively punches well above its weight.

This can be largely attributed to the influence of the Irish Diaspora. Throughout the world there are many millions of people who, like President Obama, trace at least part of their ancestry to this island.