Kilkenny locals remain optimistic that US President Barack Obama will include a visit to Kilkenny city as part of his itinerary when he arrives in Ireland on May 23.
At the time of writing, Kilkenny Mayor Martin Brett was still unable to confirm whether or not the city would be featuring on the president’s ‘must-see’ list. In the next few days, a team from the White House is expected to arrive in Ireland to formalise plans for the visit.
“We still don’t know anything further, we still haven’t heard. We know that the itinerary hasn’t been decided yet,” Mayor Brett told the Kilkenny Advertiser.
The tomb of Bishop John Kearney – a distant relative of the American president – can be found within Kilkenny’s St Canice’s Cathedral, and may prove to be the trump card in securing a presidential visit. It has already been confirmed that Mr Obama will visit his ancestral home in Moneygall, Co Offaly. Kilkenny’s relative proximity to the village – about 60 miles – makes the possibility of stopping by Kilkenny not unlikely.However, Elizabeth Keyes, administrator of St Canice’s Cathedral has confirmed that despite widespread local speculation, she has thus far received no information regarding a purported Kilkenny visit by the US president during his upcoming trip to Ireland.
“We have not heard anything from any official sources about a possible visit by Mr Obama to St Canice’s Cathedral,” she said.
“Obviously, if he were to come to the cathedral we would make him most welcome. It would certainly raise our own profile and that of the city if he visited us. It would showcase what Kilkenny has to offer in terms of tourism and culture.”
Mr Obama’s links to Kilkenny do not end with the late John Kearney. Jane de Montmorency Wright, who lives in Bennettsbridge, Kilkenny, is a living descendant of the bishop, and as such, she is a distant cousin of the 44th US president.
Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser, Mrs Wright said that she would be ‘thrilled’ if Mr Obama were to come to Kilkenny.
“As much as anything, Kilkenny would be a wonderful city for him to see, and it would be great for tourism and business opportunities.
“It would be a big privilege and honour to meet the man, I have a very high regard for him.”
Mayor Brett echoed the sentiments.
“Obviously, this would be the biggest thing to happen to Kilkenny in years. Such a situation would be a rallying point, certainly its long-term benefits would be enormous. The most powerful man in the world would be coming here to us – it would showcase our city to the entire world,” he said.
“You have to appreciate how much it would cost to buy any airtime on a major US television network, but with a US presidential visit we could have it for nothing.”
As reported by the Kilkenny Advertiser some weeks ago, the Mayor was very quick out of the blocks, sending an official invitation to the White House as early as January of this year, before the presidential visit had even been announced. This week, he was exhorting the potential benefits that such a visit might have.
“Tourism is a hugely important industry in Kilkenny city, but the numbers coming have fallen since the downturn – tourism has dropped with the current economic climate. This (potential ) visit could put that all to bed. It would give us all such a lift.”
