The Irish Taoiseach (Premier) Brian Cowen today sent congratulations to Senator Obama on his successful election campaign and has invited him to County Offaly in Ireland where the two men have roots.
Brian Cowen lives in, and was elected to represent offally in the Irish government, while Barack Obama’s great great great grandfather was born in there.
According to Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE, “Falmouth Kearney sailed from Ireland to New York in 1850 at the age of 19 on the S.S. Marmion arriving on the 20th of March.
“He initially settled in Ohio, got married, had eight children, and later moved to Indiana, right next door to the state Obama currently represents in the US Senate.
“Mr Keaney was part of the great American migration to escape the 1840s potato famine in Ireland.”
Mr Cowen congratulated Mr Obama for his historic election as the first African-American president of the US, Mr Cowen said, “Barack Obama’s remarkable personal story - allied to his eloquence and his huge political talents - sends a powerful message of hope to America’s friends across the world.”
“There is a palpable sense of history with the election of the first African-American President.”
Mr Cowen said he looks forward to working with the new president on issues that have a mutual interest to Ireland and the EU.
Mr Obama said on the campaign trail that he will visit Ireland at some stage of his presidency. Due to Mr Obama’s successful use of new communication technolgies like YouTube and FaceBook his eventual trip to Ireland already has a candidate for theme song.
The song, “No one is as Irish as Barak Obama” by Irish folk band Hardy Drew and the Nancy Boys, has been a YouTube sensation racking up over sixty four thousand hits. Such was the popularity of the song that it even played on the airwaves in the US during the election campaign. The band will be seeking the honour of entering the president elect on his eventual visit to Ireland.
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