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.
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)
