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National

In Pictures: Ballina puts on a show as Biden enjoys emotional trip to Mayo

By: PA News

Published: 21:22, 14 April 2023

Updated: 22:40, 14 April 2023

Joe Biden has enjoyed a whirlwind visit to Co Mayo on the final day of his trip to the island of Ireland.

The US president paid a visit to the Knock shrine in Co Mayo, where he had an emotional unplanned meeting with a priest who gave the last rites to his son.

Fr Frank O’Grady, who performed the ceremony for Beau Biden before he died of brain cancer in 2015, received a call requesting that he meet the president, and later told RTE that the encounter was “like a reunion”.

Air Force One, carrying US president Joe Biden, arrives at Ireland West Airport in Co Mayo on the last day of his visit to the island of Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)
Mr Biden is welcomed as he arrives at Ireland West Airport in Co Mayo (Niall Carson/PA)
Joe Biden visiting Knock Shrine and Basilica in Mayo with Fr Richard Gibbons (Andrew Downes/Julien Behal Photography/PA)
Mr Biden touches the apparition wall at Knock Shrine and Basilica, on the last day of his visit (Andrew Downes/Julien Behal Photography/PA)

After leaving Knock, Mr Biden travelled to Castlebar where he made a private visit to the Mayo Roscommon Hospice.

The president had a longstanding pledge to revisit the facility, having turned the sod on the development in 2017.

The motorcade carrying Joe Biden departs from Ireland West Airport in Co Mayo (Niall Carson/PA)
The Academic performing on stage before Joe Biden delivered a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina (Brian Lawless/PA)
People at a concert before the speech (Liam McBurney/PA)
A rainbow appears before Mr Biden delivered a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Biden also visited the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre’s family history research unit.

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He then gave a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina.

The cathedral has a direct link to the president’s ancestors as his great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851.

People at a concert before US president Joe Biden’s speech in Ballina (Liam McBurney/PA)
Former Irish president Mary Robinson speaking on stage before Mr Biden delivered a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina (Brian Lawless/PA)
Dancers on stage (Brian Lawless/PA)
Joe Biden arrives on stage to deliver a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral (Brian Lawless/PA)
US president Joe Biden delivers a speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina (Brian Lawless/PA)

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