US President Joe Biden will make a public address in front of St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo, at 6pm on Friday 14 April, as part of his visit to Ireland.
Announcing the news, Independent councillor Mark Duffy, Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, said that Mayo looked forward to welcoming the president.
Describing Mr Biden as a "son of Ballina" he said that not only will he celebrate the Good Friday Agreement anniversary, he will also celebrate Ballina's 300th anniversary celebrations.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Dublin said people who wish to attend the event, which will be free, should register online at ie.usembassy.gov.
US Ambassador Claire D Cronin described it as a "homecoming celebration event", and added:
"This will be a once in a generation event and I hope families will come to see the President of the United States speak. Ireland has a special place in President Biden's heart, and I know this visit will be very special to him. I have no doubt that he will receive a Céad Míle Fáilte from the people of Ireland."
US President Joe Biden will make a public address in front of St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo at 6pm on Friday 14 April, Mark Duffy, Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, has said | Read more: https://t.co/Ip6OoflTS9 pic.twitter.com/9kCyksv6uN
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 5, 2023
Meanwhile, preparations have stepped up a gear in Ballina on hearing official confirmation from the White House that Joe Biden is coming back to his roots.
The US President can trace his ancestry to Ireland's west and east coasts, specifically Ballina and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth.
Mr Biden's great-great grandfather, Edward Blewitt, emigrated to America over 160 years ago but the Blewitts of Ballina are very much part of the fabric of the town.
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Joe Blewitt is working round the clock to get the Biden coffee corner up and running. He has met his cousin Joe on a number of occasions.
"We met Joe for half an hour in the White House on St Patrick's Day and he renewed his public pledge to come back to Ballina as President of the United States," Mr Blewitt said.
"It's unbelievable really. He's such a nice man and easy to chat to aswell. You can't actually quantify what this means for Ballina on so many levels."
Michael Carr has built a pop up podium outside his bar on Garden St.
"We're delighted Joe is coming and we've built this podium for him to make a speech. This is his native street where his family was born."
The visit to Ballina is further buoyed by the celebrations surrounding the town's 300-year anniversary.
Anne-Marie Flynn, one of the event organisers, said: "We wrote to the White House inviting President Biden to our Ballina 2023 commemoration ceremony and we're so excited that he's coming and will be part of this historic occasion."
Meanwhile the Ballina Costume Company continues to work flat out cutting and sewing American flags to meet the demand from businesses in the town. Jane Crean says the level of excitement in the town is unprecedented.
"We've had huge interest during previous visits by Joe Biden but now that he's President of the United States the buzz is off the charts," Ms Crean says.
"We've even had a visit from the New York Times! It's just unreal. We're getting so much work and it's great for the local economy."
So far The White House has given a broad outline of the US President's visit to Ireland. He will arrive in Belfast next Tuesday to mark the historic 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Then on Wednesday, Mr Biden will travel south to Dublin for a number of engagements.
He will also visit his ancestral birthplaces in the Cooley Peninsula and in Ballina, where it is expected that he will make a significant address celebrating his deep historic ties with the town.
Biden visit will help 'cement' relations with US, says Taoiseach
