Carlingford locals are bursting with pride that their village will be visited by US President Joe Biden today.
Despite the wet and windy weather, excitement is not dampened and the Co Louth village is decorated with bunting and star-spangled banners.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, locals said Mr Biden "is a man who remains true to his word" because he is fulfilling a promise he made in 2016 when he was vice president to revisit the area as president.
Paul Carroll, proprietor of Ghan House, whose son Caeden was photographed with Mr Biden during his 2016 visit to Carlingford described him as "sound".
"Six years ago, Joe came, came to town, and my little boy, Caeden was only six-years-old at the time, and he shook Joe's hand.
"I think he comes across as a very personable family man," said Mr Carroll, agreeing the president is "sound".
Eamon Thornton has adorned the side of his van with the words: "President of America. Joe Biden – Welcome home to Whitestown".
"I have a Citroen van. Two years ago, when he got elected, I got the writing on the van," said Mr Thornton, who met the president when he visited the area seven years ago.
"I was talking to him for about an hour. I said, you know, Mr Vice President, if you hadn't to leave here you could have been head barman here in this pub. He said, I wouldn't be getting as much money as I'm getting now.
"But he really enjoyed himself. He went round and spoke to everyone as if he was just dropping in for a drink, although he does not take a drink himself.
"Everyone around here is very proud. The most important man in the world, in our midst here and this small area, of course we're proud of him," Mr Thornton said.
Mr Biden's fifth cousin Andrea McKevitt, who is a local Fianna Fáil councillor and Leas-Cathoirleach of Louth County Council, expects the US president to land at the local Cooley Kickhams GAA pitch and from there visit the locality and Dundalk.
"Even though it's raining in Carlingford here, I think there's a real sense of euphoria and excitement," said Cllr McKevitt.
"People are going round putting up their flags and giddy and excited for what's to come.
"We do know that he's going to be landing in our local GAA club, then we hope that he's coming to King John's Castle with the potential of a visit at Kilwirra Cemetery where he visited the last time to visit the grave of his ancestors.
"He is then expected to go into Dundalk and do a walkabout in a meet and greet with people.
"I think the visit of President Biden here to a border county is huge because he is coming to remember and to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. I think his visit to a border county like Louth will have a great impact on tourism," added Cllr McKevitt.
She said her own family are very excited about the presidential visit and her mother has her best China ready in hope that Mr Biden may call for a cup of tea.
"My mum thinks that President Biden is coming to the house because she's on one of them mad spring clean kind of outbursts. And I'm like: 'Mom, he's definitely not going to come here'."
"She hasn't focused on cooking. It's more the cleaning and to make sure make sure the China is clean. So whatever she puts in the China, we'll have to wait and see. The good China's ready and waiting for President Biden," she said.
Colin O’Connor, who runs a chip van in the centre of Carlingford, has extra stock for an influx of hungry spectators and well-wishers.
"We're well stocked up. We've boxes of burgers and bags and bags of chips. People are excited about Joe Biden's arrival to Co Louth," said the chip van owner.
Mr O'Connor also expects his son's ice cream parlour in Dundalk to get a visit.
"We actually have another shop in the door called XXI Ice. It's a rolled ice cream company. I actually think that a stop could be on the cards there.
"His men was in doing checks and stuff. There possibly could be a visit, but I just can't disclose that right now," said Mr O'Connor.
Asked what ice cream would be fit for President Biden, Mr O'Connor said: "Ferrero Rocher - it's the best seller in town and it's fit for a president."
Great for tourism
Meanwhile, the PRO for Dundalk Chamber of Commerce Paddy Malone said it does not matter if Joe Biden is a Louth or a Mayo man because ultimately he is an Irish man.
"His love or his grá for the old country, or whatever way you want to put it, it's genuine, it's not fake.
"I think we've had some people who were Americans coming here and claiming they're Irish, and they wouldn't know where we were on a map. I think President Biden is far from guilty of that crime."
Mr Malone said he thinks the president's visit will mean significant change for the region and will be wonderful for the tourism industry - in particular the Carlingford region and the Cooley peninsula.
"We've been trying to sell Down, Louth and Armagh as one tourist destination to complement the tourist destination in the Boyne Valley and Newgrange."
Paddy Malone said Bill Clinton's visit in 2000 completely changed the dynamic of the region.
This visit will reinforce the economic and tourist potential of the region, he added.
