I remember feelings of overwhelming joy the first time I ever saw this.

Ah, the Irish:

DUBLIN (AP)-- Downing a Guinness is a rite of passage for any visitor to Ireland, but too often the VIPs, including some US presidents, disappoint the Emerald Isle.

Not President Obama. He may be criticized for taking too long to make up his mind at times, but he didn't hesitate today when offered a pint of the dark brew. Obama downed it in four slurps and won cheers across Ireland for it.

"The president actually killed his pint! He gets my vote," said Christy O'Sullivan, a government clerical worker who was taking a long lunch break to watch live TV coverage of Obama's visit to Moneygall, the tiny village where his maternal great-great-great grandfather lived and worked. "He's the first president I've actually seen drink the black stuff like he's not ashamed of something."

...

But today an American president finally savored his pint the way a local expects. Audiences watching the moment -- deliciously drawn out by Obama for close to a minute -- shouted encouragement at their TVs and cheered as he took a hearty swallow and polished it off. Mrs. Obama drank her half-pint, then got behind the bar herself and pulled two pints.

Obama even ended up with a bit of a frosty moustache, another trademark of tackling a creamy-headed stout. He revealed to pub-goers that it wasn't his first pint in Ireland either and suspected that the Irish were holding back their best brew for themselves. He said he first drank stout when he flew into the airport in Shannon, Ireland, en route to Afghanistan.

http://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/food/blogs/99bottles/2011/05/obama_downs_a_pint_of_guinness.html

Downed a GUINNESS in four slurps! That's damned impressive. Another reason to admire Barack Obama.

I'll even take the Guinness although I prefer Murphy's Stout. In Dublin I'd drink Guinness in Cork I'd drink Murphy's.

I missed that bit of news when it happened!

There were also some that said "Erin go Barack!"

As in "O'Hara" or "O'Brian". Any O'bama's out there on the Emerald Isle???

Oh course, I’m just blowing smoke - somebody here probably knows for sure.

Link to tweet

Henry Healy: Finding out I was Barack Obama's 8th cousin transformed my life

MONEYGALL NATIVE HENRY Healy has said his life has changed dramatically since he found out that he is a distant relative of the President of the United States.

Healy was speaking ahead of the official opening of the President Barack Obama Visitor Centre in Moneygall. The centre is located in the Barack Obama Plaza which is owned by Supermac’s’ Pat McDonagh.

The US President’s eighth cousin told TheJournal.ie that he has been “fortunate to be involved with the visitor centre, having input with some of the design”.

He said the connection to Obama has already had a positive impact on the village which has continued to add various facilities for tourists over the last number of years.

His own life has been significantly changed since the connection emerged and he described the last three years as a “rollercoaster of highs and lows, quiet and busy periods”.

there is a chance he could have some Irish in his background. And, believe me, my entire family cringes at that thought (of course, we weren't real happy about Reagan's roots either).

Thanks!

Even temporarily if TotDon visits. Or is that what they're doing?

Signs extolling Obama everywhere in his path.

Love it!

Here's to the Irish!

☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘

Sacred Heart and a picture of John F Kennedy on the wall.

When Barack was first running and went to Ireland.......I've got them in my treasure box will all my other favorite and loved items. Love this, thanks for posting.

Besides one big orange turd

I remember he was aware of that song and said, "I've heard there's no one as Irish as me."

Go to Google maps for Tanzania, there's a "Barack Obama Drive" along the coast southeast of Dar Es Salaam.

That's really something. Of course, Obama was in fact a great president. The world saw that.

Link to tweet

Our Cliffs of Moher tour stopped there. The upstairs is a free museum. Fun!

We know a real president when we see one.

It’s not far from my grandmother’s birthplace. It was very moving to share our pride with Ireland’s pride. Everyone we spoke with in Ireland is horrified with what has happened to our country. We saw nothing but contempt for Trump. People weren’t shy about bringing up the subject and asking how it could have happened. He will not be welcome anywhere in Ireland.

I have never heard Obama's speech in Ireland. It is wonderful. I also love the song. Ok, I'm drying my eyes. I miss him so much.

According to Wiki the name was changed once to Trump Plaza on April Fools Day.

If I ever get to Ireland, I'm going!

Thank you for this!

Thanks.

I pray one day soon we will have another great president like Mr Obama that we can have pride in and share him or her with the world.

I miss President Obama and his beautiful family so very much.

I was on a tour in 2015 and we skipped the plaza and went to the pub whose owner finagled Obama's trip there to down a pint. You can take your picture with a life-size cutout. Our tour leader says he's had people refuse to leave the van for that brief stop.

The town has some displays on Obama's heritage and one little shop had a few Obama bobbleheads in the window.

Totally worth it....
I mean it's a gas station / food court, so it's nothing special. But it was stiil damn cool and we made a point to go there.