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Irish village where Obama is ‘one of our own’

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

It’s just over 3,320 miles from the Oval Office in the White House to Moneygall, Co Offaly, just as there was when the last relative of Barack Obama’s left the village more than 150 years ago.

However last night, all in a packed Ollie Hayes’s bar on the main street were hopeful that the Democratic candidate who they regard as “one of our own” was about to become the 44th US President.

The little village endorsed Obama’s election bid after his Irish roots were recorded back to the region and Ollie Hayes’s bar was transformed into the ‘Irish nerve centre’.

Stars and stripes hung from the windows of the pub and inside it was decorated with red, white and blue balloons with posters declaring ‘Obama ’08’ and ‘Change we can believe in’.

Modest accountant, Henry Healy, is the ninth cousin of the Hawaiian-born politician. The 24-year-old can trace Obama’s connections back to 1760.

“The Healys have lived here since 1750 and in 1760, a Sarah Healy married a Joseph Kearney who was also from Moneygall. Sarah and Joseph would be great grandparents to Fulmouth Kearney. Fulmouth left Moneygall for New York and eventually settled in Ohio and would be Obama’s third great grandfather," explained Henry.

The local Church of Ireland canon, Stephen Neill, is hopeful that Obama will return to the town of his ancestors should he become the next US President.

At the back of Ollie’s pub, Limerick band Hardy Drew and the Nancy Boys who achieved fame across the US with their song about Obama’s ancestry provided punters with their very first public airing of their new hit, When President Obama comes back home to Moneygall.

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Thank God the English had the foresight to chase us all out of Ireland!

Posted by Jim from Oz | 06.11.08, 06:50 GMT

maybe one of these days we can all be mixed race, I can't wait!

Posted by jenny | 05.11.08, 18:00 GMT

Wow what a story!!

Many African Americans have Irish blood in them!

I'm sure he will go to Ireland and they will welcome him....

With Biden as VP who is a proud Irish American there is nothing together they cant do

Dee - from New Rochelle New York

Posted by dee | 05.11.08, 17:36 GMT

What a load of dross.....

Posted by Ben | 05.11.08, 17:23 GMT

Why does he not associate himself as an Irish-American aswell??

I don't know the man, or his background, but what if his "Irish" background was not the same as others on the island of Ireland? I mean what if he cared not for republicanism/nationalism and his ancestory was in the fact the "Orange" kind of Irish? How would this sit with those who still believe to this day that there is only one Irish ideology on the island of Ireland?

Posted by mickey | 05.11.08, 16:01 GMT

Nobody chased anyone out of the Emerald Isle, they left through their own choice, be it economic, solical or political. The only exception were those who were sent on penal ships to Australia.

Posted by Dave | 05.11.08, 13:32 GMT

Seems his political views post him as an African-American... I would like to know why he does not associate himself as an Irish-American as well… Is he ashamed, by his true heritage?

Posted by Chris | 05.11.08, 12:44 GMT

He's probably related to me and all, for all the good it will do me!

Posted by Steve | 05.11.08, 11:42 GMT

Very true , theres always an IRISH connection , if you want to blame someone for this then once more " ENGLAND " is once more totally responsible for the Irish CONNECTIONS world wide,since they chased us out of the Emerald Isle.

Posted by SAIGEADOIR COLLAC ABU | 05.11.08, 11:39 GMT