Anonymous ID: faeac5 April 12, 2023, 1:33 p.m. No.18684650   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>4711 >>4744 >>5033 >>5186 >>5267

 

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/04/12/bidens-fleeting-visit-to-dundalk-was-that-it-i-waited-hours-for-this-fella/

 

 

Biden’s fleeting visit to Dundalk: ‘Was that it? I waited hours for this fella’

Town came to a halt for president, who didn’t stop for long

 

He was gone almost as soon as Dundalk knew he was coming. President Joe Biden’s fleeting visit to the Co Louth border town was historic, rainy and, most of all, brief.

 

Much of the country was issued with a status yellow weather warning by Met Éireann until 8pm on Wednesday, with winds of up to 110km/h forecast – thankfully Louth was excluded. It was one of those evenings where no item of clothing was saved from a good drenching, but the heavy rain and sharp nip in the air couldn’t stop people from taking advantage of the once-in-a-generation visit to the town.

 

Crowds steadily formed across the day in Dundalk for president Biden’s walkabout in the town on Wednesday evening. Locals, tourists and probably half the country’s gardaí swarmed the streets of the town. Music was being played and teenagers off on their Easter break were roaming about, no doubt a bit frazzled by all the commotion in their small part of the world. The word on everybody’s lips was ‘Joe’ – specifically when he’d show up and where he’d go, with an almost mythical shroud of secrecy still surrounding the finer details of the trip just hours before his scheduled arrival.

 

“We’re just so excited really,” said Lola Animashaun, who came out with her children for the presidential visit. “We don’t mind if it’s raining, snowing – whatever. We’re just so happy. We’re proud of what Biden’s doing right now. Fingers crossed for his election.”