“It will stay with me forever”

Students from New-Bridge Integrated College in Northern Ireland talk about the impression President Obama’s Belfast speech made on them.

BBC

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Coming up:

12:30 EST: The First Family depart Northern Ireland

1:0 EST: Vice President Biden Speaks on Gun Safety

White House Live

2:25 EST: The First Family arrive Berlin, Germany

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The crowd cheer as the cavalcade carrying the US First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, passes through Dalkey, Co Dublin

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All posts on the Ireland visit here

 

You can never hear these speeches enough…

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Tuesday:

President Obama attends more G-8 meetings at Lough Erne

The First Lady, Malia and Sasha go walking in the Wicklow Hills on the morning and visit the local lakes and Glendalough (see here).

They will then rejoin President Obama for their visit to Germany

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The signatures of British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama on a patchwork quilt made by students working on a school project about the G8 summit

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First Lady Michelle Obama with her daughters Malia and Sasha in the crowd at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin for a special performance of Riverdance

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Cracked. Me. Up:

BBC: A young boy was rendered speechless when he met First Lady Michelle Obama in Dublin on Monday.

The boy, named only as Billy, was dumbstruck with shyness when he met her backstage at the Gaiety Theatre.

…. Rebecca Morgan, aged 11 and a pupil in Moneygall National School in County Offaly – US President Barack Obama’s ancestral homeland – revealed her classmate’s embarrassment.

“She is so beautiful and very tall,” the 11-year-old said. “She looks even prettier in real life than on TV.

“A boy in my class was really embarrassed when she touched Billy’s hand because he thinks she is so beautiful. He was so shy.”

More here

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See all posts from the Ireland visit here

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Scarily vicious anti-G8 protests in Northern Ireland #FrTed pic.twitter.com/EfYt5FEec5

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 18, 2013

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More in the morning

Rise and Shine: Ireland

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“What’s the craic?!”

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Later today – Irish time (five hours ahead of EST):

1:20: The President meets with Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the G8 Summit

2:15: Meets with EU Leaders on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, G-8 Summit Site, Lough Erne, Northern Ireland

2:30: Delivers a statement to the media (9:30 EST – audio only at WHL)

4:20: Greeted by Prime Minister Cameron as a part of the official leader arrivals

4:45: Attends the first plenary session

6:30: Holds a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia

8:30: Attends a leaders-only working dinner

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Belfast airport

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The First Lady, Malia and Sasha:

Shortly after their arrival in Dublin from Belfast they will visit Trinity College at lunchtime where they will view the Book of Kells.

A Message Of Hope

President Obama, the First Lady and their daughters Sasha and Malia are greeted by Joan Christie, the Queen’s official representative in Northern Ireland, upon their arrival at Belfast International Airport

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https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/346563618281771009

https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/346563878706089984

President Obama and his wife Michelle, pictured with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness

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Snippets of Pres. Obama’s speech:

“Hello, Belfast. Hello, Northern Ireland. Well, now you know why it’s so difficult to speak after Michelle. She’s better than me.”

“I want to thank two men I’ve hosted at the White House on many a St Patrick’s Day for their warm welcome – First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.”

“I spend the whole year trying to unite Washington around something, and they come visit on St Patrick’s Day and do it in a single afternoon,” Mr Obama says.

Mr Obama said he only found out a few years ago that his great-great-great-grandfather was born in Ireland. “When I was first running for office in Chicago, I didn’t know this. I wish I had,” he said.

“But in Chicago, it worked out okay – they’d look at my last name and say, ‘oh, look, there’s an O’Bama from the homeland running on the South Side – but what kind of name is Barack?”

The president says that while in Moneygall, County Offaly, he met his eighth cousin, Henry, known affectionately as Henry the Eighth.

Ireland, The Sequel

…. for old time’s sake

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Sunday/Monday:

The President, the First Lady and their daughters depart for Belfast, Northern Ireland tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:20 PM.

They arrive in Belfast on Monday morning.

The First Lady will introduce the President at an event at the Waterfront Convention Centre in Belfast where he will deliver remarks.

While the President then travels to Lough Erne for the G8 Summit, the First Lady and her daughters will leave for Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.

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Handy map:

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The President’s Northern Ireland schedule:

Monday: Arrives Belfast. Delivers remarks at the Waterfront Convention Centre in the city when he will address his support for the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Meets Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the G8 Summit. Later, he attends the G-8 Summit at Lough Erne.

On Monday evening, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Tuesday: In the evening, following the G-8, the President and the First Family will travel to Berlin, Germany.

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The First Lady and her daughters will visit Trinity College shortly after their arrival in Dublin Monday, lunchtime (local time)…..

(…. remember one of our fave pics from the President’s speech in Dublin? That’s Trinity College behind the very very excited young women)…..