US president Joe Biden arrived into Ireland West airport just as the sun came out. It had been a typical west of Ireland morning with sunshine, followed by torrential rain and then a blast of hailstones which hammered on the roof of the hangar where people waited for him to arrive.
The weather behaved itself long enough for President Biden’s Air Force One to touch down at 2.20pm, an hour behind schedule, but there has been no keeping to time throughout this trip. There is talk that he might not leave Mayo until 1am tomorrow morning.
All that snarky talk of the “foggy boggy”, that went on in the 1980s when Monsignor James Horan first conceived of an international airport in the west of Ireland, has long gone.
It was evidently a proud day for Ireland West, formerly known as Knock Airport - probably the proudest day in its history. The Mayo, American and Irish flags were in evidence in the hangars, the same flags are flying from many houses and businesses along the route to Ballina. Two fire engines flanked the runway, one with the tricolour and the other with the Stars and Stripes.
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The presidential 757 was preceded by a planeload of journalists which comprises the White House press corps. It was followed by Marine One.
“We have had the Pope landing at Knock, we now have the US president landing at Knock and please God we will have Sam Maguire landing at Knock this year,” said Fine Gael TD Michael Ring who was among the local representatives there when Air Force One landed.
Nobody knows more about Mayo’s eternal quest for Sam Maguire as much as his fellow Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon who played in six All-Ireland finals and lost them all.
“I had a quiet word with the president when he says his prayers in Knock that we will lift Sam Maguire in 2023. He gave me a smile,” he said. “He understands Mayo and the passion for sport.”
Those present on the tarmac to greet the president included the Irish ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason, the chairman of Mayo County Council Cllr Seamus Weir and the chairman of Ireland West Airport Arthur French.
The chief meeter and greeter was the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan who thanked the president for his comments on climate change which he made in his speech to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas on Thursday.
“He was really strong and clear on it. We are to replace the United States as the co-chair of the International Energy Agency and the project of developing renewals and energy efficiency as part of tackling climate change. It’s the peace project of our time.”
The president’s warm words on climate change in his address to the Oireachtas were at odds with the dozens of gas-guzzling hulking great vehicles waiting for him at Ireland West airport. The Beast, the vehicle which transports the president, is reported to do just 4mpg. One reporter counted two dozen vehicles in the president’s entourage at Ireland West, some of them bigger than the Beast.
Is the presidential cavalcade acceptable given the existential challenge posed by climate change, he was asked.
“Ah listen,” said Mr Ryan, “he has to get around and all the team with him. That will change. Everything will go towards clean energy systems including motorcades and the aviation sector. The world is changing and if you are not ahead of that, you will fall behind.”
Mr Ryan said he was looking forward to meeting “one of my heroes” Senator Ed Markey, because of his influence on climate policy over the years.
“This is not a fight between Europe, America and China. It is about how we will cooperate.”
President Biden was due to travel to Knock Shrine by motorcade and then on the North Mayo Heritage Centre at Enniscoe House to have a look at his roots. He will do the last part of his journey by helicopter to Ballina for his big speech on Friday evening and will fly back by helicopter to Ireland West later on Friday night.
