As reports on President Joe Biden’s visit to Ireland continue to roll in, the Irish police, Gardaí, have issued a travel update for the Mayo region ahead of his scheduled visit later in the week. The update is aimed at ensuring that residents and commuters are aware of any potential disruptions to travel times and road closures set to take place from Wednesday, June 16th, until the early hours of Friday, June 18th. The travel alert warns that several routes may be closed or become “intermittently inaccessible” during this period.
President Biden’s Irish visit began with his arrival at Dublin Airport on Wednesday, June 15th, together with the First Lady, Jill Biden. The couple was greeted by Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, and his wife, Mary. Following an official welcome at the airport, the Bidens laid a wreath at the US Embassy in Dublin, paying homage to those lost on September 11th, 2001.
On Thursday, June 17th, President Biden visited Áras an Uachtaráin for a working lunch with Irish President Michael D. Higgins. Biden commented that it was a great honor to visit the President of Ireland and that he was delighted to be in Ireland. He also acknowledged the shared heritage between the US and Ireland, stating that his own ancestors came from Mayo.
Biden then made a private visit to County Louth, the birthplace of his maternal ancestors, where he visited the birthplace of his great-great-great-grandfather, Owen Finnegan. There he met with his distant relatives and was presented with a hand-carved walking stick made from a tree that once grew near his Irish ancestral home.
On Friday, June 18th, Biden is scheduled to travel to Cornwall in southern England for the G7 summit. Before departing Ireland, he is set to meet with the Taoiseach and attend a meeting with community leaders at the Catholic University of Ireland, where he will make a speech.
However, despite the warm welcome Biden has received, some experts are skeptical that his Irish visit will result in the desired “bounce” for President Biden. While he is undoubtedly proud of his Irish heritage, the visit may not directly translate into policy gains for Ireland. Some observers point out that the US has historically been more interested in building ties with the United Kingdom than with Ireland. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has left many of Ireland’s industries struggling, and it is unclear whether President Biden will provide any significant relief for the nation.
Regardless of any potential policy outcomes, the President’s visit has been widely celebrated by the Irish people, including the family of poet Seamus Heaney. Biden gave a nod to the late Irish poet during his speech at the Áras, stating that Heaney’s work had “lit a flame” in him. This sentiment was heartily welcomed by Heaney’s widow, who watched the speech from her home in Dublin. Biden’s visit may not have tangible outcomes for Ireland in terms of policy, but it has certainly brought a sense of solidarity and joy to the Irish people as they welcome home one of their own.
