Obama to speak to crowds in centre of Dublin
Reuters
DUBLIN: US President Barack Obama will speak at College Green
YES, we can -- see US President Barack Obama in person in Dublin on next week's whistlestop tour.
Tens of thousands of Irish people will have the opportunity of a lifetime to catch a glimpse of the US president in a public rally in the city centre.
The event, planned for College Green on Monday afternoon, is free and unticketed, the Government has confirmed.
However, anyone who wishes to attend will have to pass through metal scanners, security checks and the president will speak from behind a plexiglass screen.
This event is the largest on the US president's 24-hour visit next week.
The president and First Lady Michelle Obama are scheduled to arrive in Ireland shortly before 10am on Monday morning. Mr Obama will pay a courtesy call to President Mary McAleese at Aras an Uachtarain before travelling to Farmleigh, also in the Phoenix Park, where he will call on Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
He will then privately meet with US embassy staff before travelling on to Moneygall, Co Offaly by helicopter, weather permitting.
address
The US president will then return to Dublin for the College Green public address, scheduled to begin at 5pm.
In a statement, the Government said the College Green event will be open to members of the public, is free of charge and tickets will not be required.
"To facilitate the large number of people expected to attend, security gates will open at 2pm on the day," the statement said.
The area around College Green will be closed off on Sunday and Monday.
Mr Obama is set to follow in the footsteps of his former Us president Bill Clinton who addressed the crowds at College Green in 1995.
It is believed that officials were initially reluctant about the College Green venue as it would be seen as the same as Mr Clinton's event.
But gardai vetoed the White House's idea of Mr Obama making his speech in front of Daniel O'Connell's statue on O'Connell Street as it would have meant shutting down the quays for two days.
Mr Obama and his wife Michelle will fly out of Dublin at around 10.25am on Tuesday to start a state visit to the UK. It's understood that they may stop at Glasnevin Cemetery en route to the airport.
- Claire Murphy
