US President Joe Biden’s is expected to make a stopover at Shannon Airport in June while a Clare link will form part of his administration.
President Biden is to attend the G7 Summit in Cornwall on June 11th. Sources close to the US President have said he will stopover at Shannon Airport to refuel as part of this trip.
Calls have also been issued for Biden who has strong family links to Mayo and Louth to fly into Shannon Airport when his first official State visit is held. Since John F. Kennedy in 1963, every President of the United States of America has flown into Shannon Airport.
Polly Trottenberg has been announced as one of five women to be nominated as deputy secretaries in the Biden administration. Almost two months after resigning as New York City’s transportation commission, she received a nomination to become deputy secretary of the Transportation Department, she previously served as an assistant secretary for transportation policy and under secretary for policy in the Obama administration.
Her sister Jan Godfrey has lived in Liscannor with her husband Paul since 1996 while Polly has been a frequent visitor to Co Clare over those 24 years.
Biden was formally sworn in as the 46th US President on Wednesday. In advance of the inauguration, he and his Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) shared their aim to showcase a diverse America which herald “the beginning of a new national journey, one that restores the soul of America and brings Americans together”.
Musical performers included Lady Gagy an advocate for LGBTQ right and Jennifer Lopez who has highlighted the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Latinos. Career firefighter, Andrea Hall, led the Pledge of Allegiance with two members of the clergy, Reverend Silvester Beaman and Fr Leo O’Donovan also involved.
Clare links to the inauguration were provided through the music of Patrick Cassidy. Violinist Patricia Treacy played ‘Proclamation’ which was composed by Cassidy who spent much of his early life in Shannon, a piece he initially created for the 1916 Centenary that was previously performed by Patricia as President Michael D. Higgins laid a wreath to honour those who fought and died in the Easter Rising.
A past pupil of St Patrick’s Comprehensive in Shannon, Patrick lived in Drumgeely while his father ran a local pharmacy and was the President of the Chilean Refugee Committee.
Kamala Harris became the first female Vice President of the US. The former Attorney General of California is also the first African-American and Asian-American Vice President.
Speaking at a meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) outlined the importance of President Biden continuing the tradition of US Presidents flying into Shannon Airport. “I know Ballina have claimed Joe Biden but it is important that when he does arrive that he flies into Shannon Airport and then travels by motorway up to Tuam,” he stated.
