US President Joe Biden has promised to place a present given to him by the owners of a Dundalk café on the walls of the Oval Office.
President Biden braved the rain in the County Louth town last night, meeting residents and stopping off in some local bars and cafés.
Delivering a speech at the Windsor Bar in the town, President Biden said he had a “fierce pride” in his Irish heritage – noting that he found it hard to understand why his ancestors ever left.
Before visiting the bar, he spent time in McAteers Food House – where he purchased some homemade sweets, desserts and a mug.
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On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, co-owner Jerome McAteer said he and his husband Bobby Wain had some special presents ready for President Biden – including one which will now hang on the walls of the Oval Office.
He said Bobby’s grandfather James Beckett was playwright Samuel Beckett’s uncle – and a successful swimmer who competed in the Olympics in his day.
The couple presented President Biden with one of his medals – which Mr McAteer described as “an 18-carat round disk with a gorgeous shamrock on it”.
“He just said it was too special and he couldn’t take it,” said Mr McAteer.
“We said, ‘No, God you have to’ and he says, ‘No, I don’t want to.
“We said, ‘Listen, we would be so honoured if the President of the United States took this, so he said, ‘I’ll tell you what boys, I’m going to take it; I’m going to get it framed and I’m going to hang it in the Oval Office.
“As soon as I’m out of office, I’ll return it to you.
“So, you can’t ask for fairer than that.”
The Co-owner of McAteers in Dundalk says they threw Joe Biden a 10% discount yesterday!
He paid with a $50 note in cash he tells @PatKennyNT
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) April 13, 2023
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Jerome said they offered the US President a 10% discount.
“Joe had cash in his hand,” he said.
“He took out a €50 bill, which we have and we definitely won’t be putting in the bank – it’ll be in a frame very soon.
“He bought the stuff and we threw him a 10% discount, so I think that was very generous on our part.
“We have a couple of kids working here - a wee Down Syndrome boy and an autistic boy - so he gave them a tenner tip, which was really brilliant.
“This €50 note is definitely going on the wall.”
US President Joe Biden takes a selfie during his trip to Ireland. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNewsJerome said staff were “kind of tenterhooks” throughout the day thinking the visit would be cancelled – but eventually the US President showed up and spent around half an hour in the shop.
“He didn’t eat,” said Mr McAteer.
“He bought a load of desserts, he bought some cookies, he bought some sweets – all our stuff, stuff with our own name on it.
“He also bought a mug and a bottle of Coke.”
Gardaí passing a litter bin which has been taped closed as extra security precautions are put in place ahead of the visit of US President Joe Biden, 11-04-2023. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNewsLarge parts of Dublin City Centre are closed to traffic today as President Biden’s visit takes him to the capital.
This morning he met with President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtaráin, planting a tree as part of the ceremony.
He then took the short trip down the park to Farmleigh where he will meet the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for a bilateral meeting.
The big set piece of the day will be an address to a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad this afternoon - one which will be boycotted by People Before Profit.
This evening President Biden will be hosted at a State dinner at Dublin Castle.
