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Must admit I've generally been a bit cynical about State visits and any good they can do. But the Queen in Ireland last week has made me reassess this idea somewhat. It seems generally agreed that her visit was a great success and certainly I feel better about our relationship with Ireland that I have done in the past. I'm not quite sure why that is, but the effect is real enough.

So what can Barack Obama achieve, if anything, by his visit to Europe? What does he hope to achieve?

He's making a bid for the Irish American vote, and the Polish American vote, for domestic purposes; but I gather he has some serious work to do to mend fences with the Poles, and the French are never easy. If he's trying to reinvigorate the European/American axis somewhat, Europe is badly strapped for cash at the moment, and we're probably worse off than most of Europe.

....I can feel the cynicism creeping back over me...

Clodhopper;1360073 wrote: It seems generally agreed that her visit was a great success and certainly I feel better about our relationship with Ireland that I have done in the past. I'm not quite sure why that is, but the effect is real enough.It possibly has something to do with the fact that she apologised, don't you think?

Can we imagine a President of the USA apologizing?

Well then. There's the difference.

He hasn't stepped on British toes in quite awhile. Maybe they're coming to give the Queen a bottle of blue hair dye or something.

You are thinking of the "we can all think of things that could have been done differently, or not at all" bit? Certainly sums up how I feel about it.

But it wasn't just that. Though it may have been at the core of it. Perhaps it was the confirmation that the Troubles really are over?

Acc: chuckle. Well, that would provide her Maj with a use for the shillelagh President McAleese gave her.

Clodhopper;1360077 wrote: Perhaps it was the confirmation that the Troubles really are over?I refer the honourable gentleman to my comment some days ago. If the Troubles really are over, I'll eat my hat.

Oh yes. And the bombing of the bank a couple of days ago. But compared to twenty years ago this is nothing, the security apparatus is at least partly dismantled and the big players like Adams and McGuinness have accepted that change must be accomplished by constitutional means. these are not the Troubles as I remember them. I'm hoping the recent nasties are in effect the last muscle spasms of an already dead beast.

Obama is in search of his ancestral roots in Ireland:

Home News | The real story behind Barack Obama's Irish ancestry

Loved the picture in the article. That's a plumber with cheek! Ancestral home????

Have to wonder - given most protestant Irish were descended from Scottish and English settlers did Falmouth Kearney get his name from his Dad's ancestral home in Falmouth, Cornwall? Weird name to have, otherwise.

Well, from being here I can only tell you that the visit of the Queen and then Obama (now O’Bama) was fantastic.

The Queen’s ended up being much higher than anyone expected, it was really amazing and the only disappointment was that with security the way it was, more people could not get out to see her. Furthermore, all the photos showed that she herself really enjoyed her visit. There are so many photos of her smiling and laughing, it was great.

The visit from O’Bama was excellent, he and Michelle really also seemed to enjoy themselves and spent a lot of time directly interacting with the people. Especially when he was down in Moneygall, what a scene that was.

As always, there are lots of cynics and critics slicing it all apart, but who cares, the Irish loved it all and a good time was had by all, including our guests.

Both would be welcome back here anytime.

Accountable;1360075 wrote: He hasn't stepped on British toes in quite awhile. Maybe they're coming to give the Queen a bottle of blue hair dye or something.


The Queen certainly needs a change of something!

mikeinie;1360280 wrote: Well, from being here I can only tell you that the visit of the Queen and then Obama (now O’Bama) was fantastic.

The Queen’s ended up being much higher than anyone expected, it was really amazing and the only disappointment was that with security the way it was, more people could not get out to see her. Furthermore, all the photos showed that she herself really enjoyed her visit. There are so many photos of her smiling and laughing, it was great.

The visit from O’Bama was excellent, he and Michelle really also seemed to enjoy themselves and spent a lot of time directly interacting with the people. Especially when he was down in Moneygall, what a scene that was.

As always, there are lots of cynics and critics slicing it all apart, but who cares, the Irish loved it all and a good time was had by all, including our guests.

Both would be welcome back here anytime.


Good, glad too hear it.

mikeinie;1360280 wrote: Well, from being here I can only tell you that the visit of the Queen and then Obama (now O’Bama) was fantastic.

The Queen’s ended up being much higher than anyone expected, it was really amazing and the only disappointment was that with security the way it was, more people could not get out to see her. Furthermore, all the photos showed that she herself really enjoyed her visit. There are so many photos of her smiling and laughing, it was great.

The visit from O’Bama was excellent, he and Michelle really also seemed to enjoy themselves and spent a lot of time directly interacting with the people. Especially when he was down in Moneygall, what a scene that was.

As always, there are lots of cynics and critics slicing it all apart, but who cares, the Irish loved it all and a good time was had by all, including our guests.

Both would be welcome back here anytime.


I think both visits were something good happening in what feels like a bad time for all of us.

The Queen's Ireland visit is the one I will remember though. Obama's visit was about current politics. It pushes events in a certain direction for a while - until the next change of policy. The Queen's visit to Ireland had a historic resonance that really hit home, as well as being about the present and the future.

Having Irish connections, and being aware of the history, it meant a lot.