THEY say a week is a long time in politics but one week in particular will rank as one of the best in Ballina’s history after the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, made his only public address there during his Irish visit.

It seemed like no local went without an interview, a photograph or soundbite request as the media descended on the town in the run-up to last Friday. CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan was another to receive a hero’s welcome on the night, Joe Biden’s cousins Joe Blewitt and Mary Bourke, local historian and genealogist Aileen Horkan all became seasoned pros. Michael Clarke, the local agricultural show chairman, was another pounced on by a visiting US camera crew.

And then there was former Irish president Mary Robinson whose family home Victoria House, opposite St Muredach’s Cathedral, is now Ireland’s first Presidential Library. A lit candle in the window of Áras an Uachtaráin, the symbol of the Irish diaspora, was a feature of her two-term tenure and last Friday night, a similar light shone from a window on Victoria House’s upper floor.

It was a sight mentioned during Joe Biden’s speech after he arrived by helicopter, swooping down along the Moy, lined by an estimated 27,000 onlookers including Mary Robinson’s brother, Adrian Bourke.

“I was blessed to be looking after my sister, to an extent! I was at the railings, right beside where they were all speaking. I’d met the man before because Joe Biden had come into Victoria House before when he was here in 2016 on a private visit with his son.

“He’d a great grá for Mary and so when he started his speech with ‘Mary, I see the light in the window!’ he knew what he was talking about. It was a very good introduction to the place and an absolutely wonderful night for Ballina,” Adrian remarked.

“The President had dinner in Mount Falcon Hotel, owned by Alan Maloney, brother of Barry, the owner of Minella Indo,” revealed Aileen.

Patrick Blewitt’s great-great grandson and the 46th President of the United States packed itinerary, after arriving at Ireland West Airport, included stops at Knock Shrine, the Mayo Roscommon Hospice and North Mayo Heritage Centre.

Emer Bourke (another of Biden’s third cousins), Brian O'Donovan, Mary Horkan, Aileen Horkan and Catriona Perry counting down to the US President’s arrival \ Aileen Horkan

“Laurita Blewitt, President Biden’s third cousin once removed, has a special connection with the President and it is much to her credit that he gave so much of his time to Mayo last Friday.

“Spotted in the VIP area in front of the cathedral with Laurita on the night were her great friends and neighbours: Sandra Duffy, her daughter Audrey and Audrey’s husband Daniel Kelly. Most of the horsey community from around the Ballina area were present for the event,” added Aileen who contributed to RTE’s live broadcast.

Stables and buses

Mount Falcon was one of a myriad of Ballina businesses to benefit from the Biden visit. “The Coronas stayed at the Ice House Hotel, my daughter works there and said they were lovely, really down-to-earth,” said Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre’s Carol Reape who, with husband Paddy, was at Gorla Minore recently watching their son Senan compete there in his first Nations Cup pony team. The team placed second, followed by an unusual phonecall.

“Just before we left, Paul Griffin rang. He’d obviously been at one of our shows and knew we had a big yard there.” Having viewed the yard, the Centre was one of the bases used for “a load of vehicles, including double decker buses” of the presidential entourage.

“William Barrett, he was actually my very first boss, had all the taxi services for the visit. He did a lot of the taxi runs during Joe Biden’s visit up and down to Knock.”

Another Ballina business to provide stabling - to four-legged guests - was Tiernan Gill whose nearby Church Road premises was the Mounted Garda Unit base. Ever-thoughtful, he closed the Gill Group businesses early on Friday afternoon, which meant his employees, including Maria Page and Brenda Murphy, got their vantage points for the afternoon and evening entertainment. The line-up also included The Academic and The Chieftains.

Gill Group employees Maria Page and Brenda Murphy got their vantage points early in Ballina

“The place [Gill’s yard] is absolutely immaculate and he couldn’t be more obliging or more helpful and that is always the case with him,” said Sgt. Brendan Duffy of the Garda Mounted Unit, complimenting their host.

“We had six horses deployed for Ballina. Logistically, we’re so used to moving horses at this stage because we’re a national unit. Normally for an event like that, we’d hire a lorry and travel all the horses together, they’re happier travelling herringbone style.

“A high visibility crowd control role, we were there to enhance the overall police presence and just to provide reassurance that there was a proper event management plan in place and to assist our colleagues on the ground.

“Obviously, horses in crowds are highly visible because of their height. Also, they have a great advantage to see and be seen if there’s crowd congestion, or if there’s an issue or a lost child. Any aspect like that, they can assist with.”

The appeal of the ‘gentle giant’ police horses and approachable nature of the Mounted Unit members must enhance their relationship with the public?

“I know that people didn’t like talking about public relations years ago, that it was a dirty word but I think the Guards realised that a lot of it is about PR, how you can engage and communicate with the public and have an open relationship with them. And that’s how modern policing works and historically has worked in Ireland.

“It is about community engagement, it is about community policing, and to encourage the public to meet and greet and chat with you. It was a carnival-like atmosphere in Ballina, you really had to be there to savour it. To be part of it, to be able to say in the future you were there when the President was, is pretty special.”

James Balfe once trained horses in Ballina. The New South Wales namesake though, as the Claremorris-born farrier moved to Australia in 1996. However, the keen Connemara pony breeder is planning a visit home this summer for Dublin and Clifden.

His late father Seán, an architect, was involved with the design of Knock Basilica and Ireland West Airport. Or simply Knock Airport, as the bijou hub is known as to its equally devoted fanbase.

Both the airport and shrine were on the Biden itinerary last Friday and for James, tuning in from the Hunter Valley, it was part of the day’s Mayo magic.

There was frivolity too as Emer Quinn, who runs Shore Farm Pony Therapy, had an Instagram post starring a Stars n’Stripes-ready pony. “Shore Farm Pony Therapy was decked out with American flags and hats just in case Joe Biden’s helicopter missed its landing in Ballina and landed further down the river Moy at Shore Farm!” she said this week.

Building on the impetus of the POTUS visit is the aim of two summer events in Ballina: the annual agricultural show on Sunday, July 9th, closely followed by the town’s famous Heritage Day on Wednesday, July 12th.

“The show always seems to get great support. We’ve some of the best show jumping ground in the country and Joe Blewitt has been a sponsor for a number of years!” Michael Clarke commented.

Adrian Bourke is involved with the town’s Heritage Day. “Last year, we got the North Mayo Harriers in their full gear and it was very dramatic. A lot of people don’t see hunting gear and hounds, it was great fun. It was all good for the town.”

First, there was the Banshees of Inisherin bonanza for Achill Island. Now, Biden’s visit to Ballina. What about Joe Biden’s ‘Mayo for Sam!’ battlecry?

“It’s possible, I think they have a good chance,” remarked Michael, whose nephew David Clarke was the long-serving Mayo goalkeeper, about the chances of the county team bringing Sam west.

For local horse producer Catríon Page, the prospect of an All Ireland title is cause for another celebration. “If the county gets this excited about Biden, imagine Sam coming!”

WHAT THEY SAID

“I was looking at the [social media] posts from Knock Airport and thinking how proud Dad and the Monsignor [James Horan] would be if they were standing on the tarmac to watch Air Force One land. It was an amazing vision that the Monsignor had and I’m proud to think Dad and many others helped him reach it. I was also wondering how many of the people, who said it was going to be a white elephant, have actually used Knock Airport. I am thinking all of them!” - James Balfe

“A fantastic occasion for Ballina and the Ballina show committee.” - Joe Blewitt, Joe Biden’s cousin

“It’s a good news story and it’s so nice to have good news stories. Ballina and Mayo tourism can surely benefit from the visit, as and from this Monday morning.” - Adrian Bourke

“What it was really about was to welcome Joe back to his Mayo roots. You can know it with the people around the town, people are just in great humour all week.” - Michael Clarke

“It was incredible and really, you had to be there to appreciate it. He [President Biden] was so charismatic, so grounded, just a joy to hear. He’s a major superpower in the world and for him to be as humble as he was, to engage with everyone and the love he has for Ireland and Mayo is phenomenal. We were there in Ballina to work but it’s on my To Do list to go back and explore.” - Sgt. Brendan Duffy

“For us, it was also to see the big Chinook helicopters flying over the house, the horses stopped galloping and were looking up at these fantastic machines. And having the Garda horses coming to stay for a couple of days and the friendly Gardai coming in for the tea!” - Tiernan Gill

“Friday night was electric, almost a surreal experience, seeing a son of Ballina return home as President of the United States of America. President Biden gave a 20-minute address to the crowd of wellwishers, it was a heartfelt, genuine and well-received speech which he ended by saying, ‘Mayo for Sam!’ Hopefully, a good portent for the team’s summer campaign!” - Aileen Horkan

“The town looked incredible, the trojan work the community put into the preparation was unbelievable. The buzz and excitement in the air was felt all week and is still going. [Cllr.] Mark Duffy’s speech was so heartfelt, genuine and welcoming it would make anyone proud, Ballina native or not.” - Catríon Page

“It was magic and the Ballina 2023 team and volunteers should be hugely proud, some way to celebrate Ballina’s 300th birthday. When a public address from one of the most powerful men on the planet is broadcast live to millions around the world, you couldn’t imagine it. The setting, as it was getting dark, added to it. The lighting was amazing and could be seen for miles around.” - Maria Page

“All the greats returned to Ballina last Friday: Catriona Fallon, Pat Ruane and Joe Biden! It was a wonderful occasion for the people of Ballina to have the President in town with such a great atmosphere. Joe Biden’s cousins, the Blewitts and Bourkes, have strong horse connections, so I’m sure that horses were discussed! There are some Connemara ponies at the North Mayo Heritage Centre too that the President would have seen.” - Emer Quinn

“It’s all go in Ballina! We’ve the Connacht Grand Prix leg this Saturday [today at Ard Chuain EC], hopefully we’ll have good numbers and then the Wild Atlantic Dressage Festival with Simone Hession.” - Carol Reape

“For me, the build-up was nearly as fantastic as Friday. I was lucky to share a few days with some special friends that traveled up for the occasion and was so proud of Ballina. I’m especially delighted for Laurita Blewitt who has made this happen with so much love and generosity, thank you Laurita.” - Trish Twomey Dodd

Did you know?

Secret Service in Glenina vet clinic

WITH Ballina and much of Co Mayo filled to capacity, some of the US Secret Service team - and their canines - were billeted around Galway City, including the Meyrick and Nox hotels.

The Glenina Veterinary Clinic team received an unusual phone call when Kato, one of the unit’s sniffer dogs, was under the weather last Thursday.

“I was ‘dripping’ a foal on Thursday night when I got the call,” Leitrim-born Colm McGovern, a member of the Glenina team since 2006, told The Irish Field this week.

VIP canine

Rushed to the Clinic, Kato was given a full workup by Colm, including blood tests and IV fluids.

He was tended to that night by Colm while his Glenina colleagues, Philip McManus and Karl Darcy stepped in to cover his other callouts.

Although stood down from his Ballina duties, Kato soon bounced back.

“He was fine on Saturday and flew back from Shannon later that day,” added Colm, who had previously worked as a vet at Melbourne’s main racecourses Caulfield and Flemington.

The Secret Service four-legged patient - definitely one for the Glenina archives.