The White House in Washington, D.C, is approximately 3,253 miles or 5,235 km from Ballina, Co. Mayo, but since January 20th 2021, a descendant of Ballina emigrants moved into one of the most famous residences in the world (which, incidentally, was designed by Irish architect James Hoban!). Now, this son of Ballina, Joe Biden, the President of the United States of America is coming home to this very town and the excitement is palpable!
The Ballina Connection
In a story that will resonate with many Irish, and many Irish-Americans, Joe Biden’s great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt (1795-1872) and his family departed from Garden Street, Ballina during the Great Irish Famine (1845 – 1851) to the land of opportunity, the United States of America. (Read: How Joe Biden’s Irish ancestor saved thousands of lives during the Famine)
Locally here in Ballina, Ernie Caffrey of Caffreys Gallery which now occupies the Garden Street site where Edward Blewitt lived with his wife and eight children – (in what is now known as Biden’s childhood home) has been enlightening local and international media by telling the story of President Biden’s ancestral home. He has been showing people what remains of the the original homestead, which is – part of a wall and an old hearth, both of which are in the backyard of the now Caffreys Gallery.
Indeed, President Biden also has a significant connection to St.Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina, which is where he will make his public address on Friday evening! His great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped him to afford to buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851. While many emigrants sailed individually, sending back money to bring over relatives one at a time, Edward Blewitt could afford tickets for his wife Mary and their eight children to sail together on the SS Excelsior in 1851. Ernie Caffrey and two historians, Terry Reilly and Brendan Walsh, dug through church records to find confirmation of the details.
From Ballina to Scranton and Back to Ballina
The Blewitts settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania where the incoming US President was born in November 1942. And coincidentally, Ballina is twinned with Scranton PA.
According to historians, the 46th US President is five-eighths Irish, a vast majority of which stems from his late mother Jean Finnegan Biden’s side of the family.
Mr. Biden’s family history was traced by the North Mayo Heritage Centre near Crossmolina, and in June 2016 then US Vice President Biden, his siblings and his grandchildren paid a visit to Ireland to trace their ancestry.
Joe Bidens First Visit to Ballina
On June 22nd 2016 a US Air Force C17 plane touched down in Ireland West Airport Knock carrying the future 46th US President. He was welcomed to County Mayo by then Mayo Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The Bidens moved on to Ballina where the streets were thronged with locals to welcome back one of their own, and the Bidens were reunited with their Blewitt cousins from Knockmore!
Watch the remarks made by then Vice President Biden below:
During Joe Biden’s 2016 visit Mr. Biden promised to return to his ancestral county, and keeping his promise, he returned the following year to turn the sod for the foundation of Mayo Roscommon Hospice in Castlebar. This was a deeply personal moment for Joe, as two years earlier his son Beau Biden had passed away from cancer. Unable to return to Mayo for the official opening of the hospice due to his work securing the nomination of his political party’s candidacy to contest the 2020 US presidential election, Joe Biden made sure to take time out of his schedule to record a special video message for the official opening of the hospice.
How the Joe Biden Mural in Ballina Came to be!
In the middle of 2020 while the third great grandson of Edward Blewitt of Garden Street was criss-crossing the United States on the campaign trail, and the world was fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the volunteers of Ballina Community Cleanup Group quietly set about creating a tribute to one of the town’s sons.
The Joe Biden mural on Market Square in the heart of the town was created by artists Pádraig ‘Smiler’ Mitchell and Leslie Lackey and as the US election count was underway, became a viral sensation. The world’s media flocked to the town to see the work, placed just metres away from the site of the Blewitts homestead (behind what is now Harrison’s Bar) and to hear the story of how a son of the town, who held his West of Ireland roots so dear, found himself on the cusp of becoming the most powerful man in the world.
30 years after Ballina native Mary Robinson was elected the first female president of Ireland, US media outlets declared Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware (and Ballina!) the President-elect of the United States of America.
US Presidential Visit and Ballina 2023
In two days time, Joe Biden will pay a visit to ‘Dear old Ballina’ once again. Having already landed in Belfast, then proceeding to Dublin and Louth, President Joe Biden will make his way towards Mayo this coming Friday 14th April 2023. A special date that will stay in the minds of local for ever.
This year marks a significant year for the town, as the town of Ballina celebrates its 300th anniversary since the official founding. This led to the development of Ballina2023. Ballina2023 is essentially a year-long celebration and will feature a series of public events throughout the year, this visit of course being one of the major ones!
Ballina Prepares Itself!
The people of Ballina cannot contain themselves with excitement! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Ballina, for North Mayo and indeed for the entire country, and it is clear, that the people of Ballina are celebrating this!
President Joe Biden’s Remarks at St Muredach’s Cathedral
On Friday, as part of these celebrations, President Biden will fly into Ireland West Airport, Knock. Biden, who is the second Catholic to be elected to the White House (after JFK) will visit to the Knock Shrine before he heads to Ballina. Given the ancestral connections with North Mayo, there will be plenty of ancestry and genealogy talk along the way!
The Irish visit will end with a public address by President Joe Biden outside St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina by the river Moy. It has also been confirmed by US Ambassador to Ireland, Claire D. Cronin that live entertainment on the evening will include Irish rock bands The Coronas, and The Academic, and acclaimed traditional Irish folk band The Chieftains. The Chieftans are wet to reunite one last time for a very special performance, the first since their leader Paddy Moloney died in 2021.
This is a very momentous occasion, lets all stand together and soak up the atmosphere!
Visit Ballina2023 here for all you need to know about the Presidents visit and for up to date events information.
Mayo North Tourism are: Beyond excited about this special occasion. The positive implications that this Presidential visit will have (and has already had) for Ballina and its surrounds from an economic and tourism perspective will be phenomenal. With the greatest will in the world from our side, we could not buy this level of promotion and publicity. It is not everyday that we have a US President and so many international media in our midst!! Thank you to President Joe Biden, to the extended local Biden family and to all local representatives, organisations and volunteers involved here on the ground in Ballina for helping to make this happen!
We look forward to welcoming our US friends and relatives to Ballina and North Mayo in the coming weeks, months and years in the aftermath of this special visit!
Photo: © Bartek Rybacki & Mayo North Tourism