The Stars and Stripes bunting and flags are being washed and dried in preparation for an anticipated visit by US president Joe Biden to his ancestral home in Co Louth.
It is just over a year since ‘Cousin Joe’ - whose ancestors came from the smallest county in Ireland - made it to the biggest office of all when he was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America.
Cooley Peninsula native and distant relative of president Biden, Andrea McKevitt expressed her, "sheer excitement and delight" on hearing the news of his possible visit to these shores.
It was reported on Sunday that dates for a possible visit could be agreed when the Taoiseach visits the White House on St Patrick’s Day.
Andrea said: "It is wonderful news for the country that the US President plans to make a visit, but it is especially exciting for Co Louth, Biden’s ancestral home. We have all been anticipating this visit since his election to the Oval Office in 2020, so to hear the wheels are in motion for this trip is very welcoming.
“The family WhatsApp was going 90 when the news came in of Joe’s planned visit. It was actually my sister Ciara, who is known as the Joe Biden cake maker, who alerted us of the news on Sunday morning.”
For his inauguration last January it was an All American affair in the wee county with cheeseburgers, hot dogs and french fries on the menu and Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks on in the background.
At the time she said his election has brought “excitement and joy to our area, and it has been truly wonderful in what can only be described as a dark time not just for our locality but Ireland as a whole.”
On Monday, she said she believes the tourism and hospitality opportunities for the surrounding locality “will be marvellous for many years after this visit, and I hope that this connection will bring a much-needed inflow of Irish and International tourists to the area, after the two years of uncertainty we are all emerging from.
“No doubt the Stars and Stripes, will be flying high beside the tricolours when Joe and the cavalcade re-appear on the peninsula, until then we will be eagerly waiting on this highly anticipated visit, because after all there’s no show like a Joe show!’’
“Needless to say we will all be watching the Taoiseach’s visit to Washington very closely, for updates on the proposed travel plans,’’ she added.
