A Kerryman who "acquired" the 70ft banner welcoming the late President Ronald Reagan to Ballyporeen during his visit 20 years ago, is willing to give it back - for a small sum.
Mr Paddy Brosnan, who turns 70 tomorrow, pulled the banner from his attic in Ballybunion when news of the death of Mr Reagan broke earlier this week. Mr Brosnan, who operates a mobile chip van called "The Rollling Kitchen", was in Co Tipperary for the visit of President Reagan to Ballyporeen, the ancestral home of his father's family.
However, business was bad because chip vans were kept out of town by gardaí for security reasons.
"On Sunday night, with nothing doing, someone said that the banner would be worth money when President Reagan died," Paddy recalled yesterday. Later that night, Paddy "acquired" the banner, which was specially made to span the main street of Ballypooreen.
At first he stored it in the freezer of his chip van but later he moved it to his attic in Co Kerry.
"It was done as a joke, for a bit of craic," he said.
He has already been in touch with pub owners in Ballyporeeen about handing back the banner. He said he would give it back for a "consideration".
The Ballyporeen flag is not the only US presidential item in Ballybunion. The town also has a bronze statue of President Bill Clinton, unveiled by the president during a visit to play golf. There are tentative plans to invite presidential hopeful Mr John Kerry, because of his connections with the name of the county, should he become president.