Joe Biden’s supporters in his ancestral home in the west of Ireland are confident they will welcome him back as the new US president.
As the Democrat edges closer to the White House, residents in Ballina, Co Mayo, are already planning to roll out the red carpet for his return.
Mr Biden’s great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewit emigrated from the town almost 200 years ago, having worked as a brick-maker and as a civil engineer helping to map Ireland.
Locals in the town now hope Mr Biden can follow in his ancestor’s footsteps by putting Ballina on the map.
A mural of Mr Biden, which overlooks the main square in the old market town, was recently created by local artists Smiler Mitchell and Leslie Lackey.
It will be unreal for the family
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After the unveiling, Mr Biden pledged to revisit the town if he wins the election.
He first visited Ballina in June 2016 as US vice-president, and met with a number of relatives including Joe and Laurita Blewit.
Mr Blewit said he believes his cousin will be the next president of the US.
He added: “It will be unreal for the family. I have met him three or four times now and to know someone who is going to be the president of the United States is unreal.
“I was in the White House a few years ago and it was a cool place to be in so I am looking forward to going back again.
“I am confident he will win, though I wasn’t too sure on Tuesday if he would win but hopefully tonight he will make it.
“It’s great for Ballina, the mural has attracted a lot of attention. We sent him a picture of the mural – he couldn’t get over it.
“He actually robbed my line and wrote on his home house in Scranton (Pennsylvania) ‘from my house to the White House’.
“Everyone in Ballina is proud of him.”
Distant relatives
Anthony Heffernan, who owns Heffernan cafe and butchers in the Market Square, hosted Mr Biden and some 20 of his entourage in 2016.
“Mr Biden came here on a family visit and he gathered about 22 of his distant relatives and had a meal with them to get to know them,” he said.
“They chose our building because it was secure. Sniffer dogs went through the building, it was very exciting.
“The Bidens were lovely people – they just wanted to talk about Ballina and find out the history of the town and what it was like when their family were here.
“Everyone is very keen and paying close attention to the election, we are pretty sure he will get in though I don’t think Mr Trump will give in easily."
I first met him when he was coming down the main street... I told him we are related
One of Mr Biden’s distant relatives, Bernie Finan, has met the Democrat twice.
“I first met him when he was coming down the main street and was shaking hands with everyone and I spoke to him and told him we are related,” he said.
“I asked if he would mind that I contact him when he got back to the US and he said it would be fine.
“He seems nice, a simple man of the people and that’s reflected in the vote in recent days.
“I’ve been keeping a very close eye on it, I switched the radio on when I went to bed and then spent most of yesterday and today listening to it.
Biden and the razzle dazzle has been good for Ballina
“He’s edging that bit closer and I heard the bookies gave him three-to-one and seldom do the bookies make a mistake.
“Biden and the razzle dazzle has been good for Ballina. Let’s hope it will be more useful in the future as it’s a beautiful town.”
Also among Mr Biden’s local fans is eight-year-old Aobha Brennan, who hopes to one day welcome him to her home town.
She said: “I want him to win as he’s a nice man.
“I would love to meet him. I’ve been watching him on my television. He just needs a few more votes to win and I’ll be so excited.”
