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New Irish link to Obama's ancestry

Kilkenny joins battle to claim US President as their own. By Angela Sammon - 25/11/09

County Kilkenny has now joined in the bid to claim US President Barack Obama as its own.

Kilkenny is taking on neighbouring Offaly, which has always claimed it is the rightful location of the president’s Irish connection.

Residents of the small village of Moneygall, in South Offaly say it is the birthplace of Fulmouth Kearney, Obama’s great, great, great grandfather on his mother’s side.

But last week, the US Ambassador Dan Rooney, accompanied by his wife Patricia, was shown the grave of John Kearney, a bishop of Ossory and provost of Trinity College, who died in 1813 and was, according to researchers, the great, great, great granduncle of Mr Obama.

The authorities in Kilkenny are hoping that the tomb, which Pat Nolan, director of the Irish Origins Research Agency described as “the only tangible link” to Mr Obama, may help to secure a presidential visit and boost tourism.

And while the Offaly bloodline is more direct, the fact that there is no actual structure to visit may hamper the chances of a visit. The site where the Kearney house once stood is today a patch of waste ground.

The one-acre plot is owned by the county council – which had planned to use it for social housing but is now reportedly considering building a “heritage centre”.

The Kilkenny mayor, Cllr Malcolm Noonan, is sending an invitation to the White House. He is going head to head with the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, who has already invited Mr Obama to Monegall.

Mr Rooney, displaying a wealth of diplomatic skill that no doubt helped him secure his current role, suggested that Mr Obama could visit both counties as part of any potential visit!

The ambassador stated that Mr Obama is “very much” interested in his Irish heritage and hopes to visit in the near future. However, no date has yet been pencilled in for a visit, because the president’s schedule is “so full”.