A County Galway woman who met US president Barack Obama at the St Patrick’s Day reception at the White House was impressed by his warmth, humour and charisma.
Elaine Nevin from Kilkerrin says he had a “very firm handshake” and appeared totally at ease with people.
The national director of the youth environmental organisation ECO-UNESCO, she says she was delighted to have been invited to the reception, which was attended by 200 people, and was excited to meet the president.
“It was a fantastic occasion being at the White House, it was a very impressive and powerful place. I was lucky I was at the top of the room and got to shake hands with him. Some people further down did not get this opportunity. He is very tall and he and Michelle are a very striking couple. He was very charismatic, personable, humorous and was very comfortable with people. He really is the people’s president.”
Ms Nevin, who attended the former Colaiste Seosamh, now the community school in Glenamaddy, and is a graduate of NUI Galway, says while meeting the American president was a hugely memorable occasion it was tinged with sadness for her.
“My mother Maureen passed away at the beginning of February. She would have been very proud and excited by this.”
She praised President Obama’s commitment to environmental protection. “ECO-UNESCO is proud that its role as a leader in the field of innovative environmental education has been recognised with this invitation to the White House.”
Innovation was the common theme which united the diverse representatives of Irish society invited to the St Patrick’s Day reception at the White House, according to the youth organisation.
“This is the hallmark of ECO-UNESCO, whose innovative programmes range from the Young Environmentalist Awards to drugs prevention using environmental and outdoor education. The invitation to the organisation’s director shows that appreciation of its innovative approach goes right to the top.”
Programmes run by ECO-UNESCO include the Young Environmentalist Awards, promoting local environmental action projects; ECO-Choices - a drugs prevention programme using environmental and outdoor education to work with at-risk young people; and Youth for Sustainable Development, which trains young peer educators, helping them to express their innovative spirit through everything from fashion shows to film-making in a bid to raise awareness of the issues around sustainable development and the environment.
