Tourists will soon have another attraction to visit in Ireland – the ancestral home of President Barack Obama.
The President’s ancestors on his mother’s side of the family came from the tiny village of Moneygall. President Obaba visited the village in 2011 and enjoyed a pint of Guinness in the local pub.
He spoke recently about how much he enjoyed the trip and how he intends to return after the Presidential elections.
The house where the President’s ancestors lived will be open to the public in time for the summer tourist season. It is now owned by shopkeeper, John Donovan, but it has been leased to the Moneygall Development Association which is keen to attract more tourists to the village.
‘This is where my ancestors lived’
Mr Donovan and his wife, Clodagh, met the Obamas when they visited last year.
He said: “Myself, Clodagh and our children Rachel and Philip, were inside the room when he stamped on the floor and said: ‘This is where my ancestors lived’, we were there for that. It seemed to have struck a chord with Mr Obama when I said it to him that he was standing on the very floor where his ancestors once stood.”
Mr Donovan is thrilled that the house will be open to tourists and thinks it will be an essential part of any visit to Moneygall. He continued: “We’re delighted that the house will soon be open. The house was an integral part of the visit so it’s important that people can see it when they visit Moneygall.”
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