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THE US FIRST Lady and her two daughters visited Glendalough, Co Wicklow and Dalkey, Co Dublin today as their two-day visit to Ireland draws to an end.
Michelle, Sasha (12) and Malia (14) Obama first took a guided tour through the monastic site in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. They then headed to Finnegan’s Pub in Dalkey for a spot of lunch with local and U2 frontaman, Bono and his wife, Ali.
The three Obama ladies are due to meet with the US President Barack Obama later as he leaves the G8 summit and they will all fly to Germany this evening.
Here are the Obama’s day out in pictures:
It's the last day of the family’s visit to Ireland. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Michelle and Malia (14) and Sasha (12) will later join with US President Barack Obama as he leaves the G8 summit, before flying to Germany this evening. (Pic: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
The Obama ladies took the tour through the monastic site before heading to Dalkey for lunch with Bono. (Image: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
US First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters Malia (left) and Sasha listen to head tour guide George McClafferty explain about the historically important monastic site of Glendalough, Co Wicklow. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
George McClafferty sits on the ancient deer stones as he explains the historical importance of the area. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Yesterday, the three had engagements in Belfast and Dublin, including a visit to Trinity College to view the Book of Kells and details of their family tree. They also attended a special performance of Riverdance at the Gaiety Theatre. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
US First Lady Michelle Obama waves to the crowd as she leaves Finnegan's Pub in Dalkey. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Crowds outside Finnegans Pub, Dalkey as Bono and his wife Ali had lunch with US First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters. (Image: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Bono leaves Finnegans Pub. (Image: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
(Photo: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
Bono leaves Finnegans Pub, Dalkey after having lunch with Michelle Obama and her two daughters. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
A Paddy Power Bookmakers renamed Obama Power in Dalkey. (Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Time for a revolution!
@Jeremiah A Craic: do you have a spare pitchfork?
@Jeremiah A Craic: Virus Craic.
@Jeremiah A Craic: let the Internet basement warriors lead, away you go son
@DJ François: it could go viral
@Jeremiah A Craic: keyboard revolutionist – knock yourself out lad
I don’t get why the government cannot be questioned by journalists about there decisions, look at the amount of questions Trump has to answer at any press conference.
The word democratic is lost.
@Pavy Fennell: never seen trump actually answer a question
@bmul: that in itself is enough reason to ask a question.
@Pavy Fennell: there’s a press conference with the 3 party leaders on now, rte news channel are showing it
@Pavy Fennell: their
@Pavy Fennell: many of those political journalists move on to advisory roles for politicians, they don’t want to upset their next boss
@NickyVera: Like the Newstalk lad think he went on to be Simple Simon advisor.
@Pavy Fennell: mehole wouldn’t be able for questions. He’d be stuttering and talking gibberish. He couldn’t get away fast enough after His pre written address. Lol
@Pavy Fennell: unfortunately journalists in Ireland are just as happy to go for sensationalism rather than fact. Just look at how newstalk the indo the times and every other outlet in the country went after the male teachers in the Carlie school this week. Story first, public interest and facts later.
@Pavy Fennell: because the script is already written by their spin doctors. Any questions outside the script and they can’t cope.
@Pavy Fennell: Mickie Martin is lying, The figures had already started to rise when kids went back to school & just before the pubs opened they upped the testing. All these figures have already been published, so it is more lies from this so called government. Shame on every TD & Minister, but it will not be forgotten by the publicans.
Also, people are not stupid, this government needs to treat them with respect.
@NickyVera: Nail. Head. Hit.
@Pavy Fennell: I seem to remember a press conference a few months ago and some sort of NPHET new hire PR woman was telling journalists that “those” sorts of questions weren’t going to be answered. NPHET’s own Kayleigh McEnaney as it were…
@bmul: Not defending trump, but have you ever seen ANY politician give a straight answer to a question? not that Trump is a politician, which means he actually did answer questions, no matter how nuts the answer.
@Pavy Fennell: totally agree. 9 mths of press conferences and not one single question from the floor. I mean the sign of a healthy democracy is a probing and questioning press. Where and why has it gone?
Disappointing given that many of these pubs have invested heavily in screening and providing booths to allow people have a drink while remaining away from other patrons. It must be frustrating that despite addressing all the protocols to safeguard customers and decorating the premises for the Christmas season that they are forced to remain closed, perhaps never to open again.
@Honeybee: If the government was straight up and told the publicans that they would not open until a vaccine was widely available it would be a lot fairer.
@Bert Carolan: I agree , there is a reluctance to be honest and up front with publicans which is soul destroying as they can not plan for the present or for the future.
@Honeybee: I kind of agree with both of you, but I think it was probably hoped (at least by some in power) that they would be able to give good news, rather than risk losing the government bench to SF at the next election.
I’m no fan of FFG but it’s an awful enemy they’re up against.
(By that I mean Covid)
@JusticeForJoe: So you are saying that the Gov are making decisions for the benefit of their Political Careers rather than the Country .. ok Joe you are waking up .. most people are aware of that for ages..
@JusticeForJoe: Interesting article by Mark Paul in the Irish times today. Makes the case that the health people are obsessed with Irish alcohol consumption.
@Da Dell: A politician doesn’t have a career without votes, Da Dell. I didn’t claim it was a revelation, but thanks or something.
@Honeybee: when have Irish politicians been up front about anything other than giving themselves pay hikes?
@Da Dell: yknow, if one of them was willing to risk their political career in the better interest of the country, I’d respect that enough to give them a vote, even if they were wrong.
@Bert Carolan: They have been for years because a good Sat night in E.R after lads have been out for pints and got into a few scrapes exposes massively how much money has been wasted on highly paid clip board fluff jobs in the health service instead of the required front line staff. But sure blame the pubs and the beer.
Good luck with that. Any other normal year just about any doctor would tell you isolation from others is a fast track to depression and ill health.
This whole thing has gone way too far. More harm been done then good overall.
@mark connolly: every other year we don’t have a worldwide pandemic to deal with. You’re right though, this has gone too far. Easing restrictions just because people were crying about Christmas is too far.
@mark connolly: Evidence that it’s doing more harm than good? Open everything up, hospitals get overrun and people in need of hospital treatment get turned away. What would that do for mental health of those affected and hospital staff trying to cope?
@Richard: Used to get annoyed back in the day at the backward Irish tag. Now I couldn’t argue with it. Christmas? Could they lift them for my birthday while they’re at it? It means so much to me and my kids. And I want my presents!
@Richard: You’re not one of those “zero covid” conspiracy theorists are you? You might as well close the place forever while we try to get to zero flu too.
They are lucky that the election was just before all that started. I could imagine that publicans could make some noise.
@Vanessa: End of republican politics and the start of Pro-Publican politics?
@SilexFlint: Very droll.
@Vanessa: A bonanza now for off licences house parties galore!!
@Vanessa: why are they lucky. SF are in government in the north and they are in lockdown. They obviously agree with the restrictions so if that’s your problem, who is left for you to vote for. Maybe if all the publicans stuck to the rules at level 2 they would have to be whinging now
@John Buckley: It doesn’t matter who is currently in power but if you say the publicans won’t remember and not able to influence voters you would be wrong.
Also how have publicans not stuck to rules broken any rules when they are closed since half a year?
@Vanessa: as if voters could be influenced by publicans, no one wants to hear your whinging.
I stated level 2 which is when they were all open. Everyone say the majority of wet pubs did not comply with all rules
@John Buckley: The pubs were outside of Dublin open for 2 weeks.
Who is that everyone you are speaking of?
@John Buckley: any of the pubs local to me – which is one of the largest towns in the country, so quite a few to choose from, abided by and enforced the rules. I’d love to know where all these places people talk about are – wouldn’t mind getting a drink in one of them!!
McConkey on RTE now, please spare us from his miserable outlook on life. The most depressed and depressing man I’ve ever seen. #Gethimoffthetelly.
@Mark Malone: Role out the State narrative
@Mark Malone: and George Lee, his Is very negative. All doom and gloom
@Mark Malone: And Dr.Death George Lee
@Mark Malone: he’s all short of a hooded cloak and a scythe
@Brian Madden: George ‘grim reaper’ lee
@Mark Malone: Not him again? 120,000 deaths was his prediction.
@billy bound:
Yes, George the Lugubrious. Probably gasping for a few pints like the rest of us.
Hopefully the gloom will lift soon.
So Many Wet pubs will be Converted to Gastro Pubs Overnight.. and there will be very little Regulation.. and good Luck to them.. Garda will not get caught up in it.. to much hassle for them.
@Paul Somers: so you think they can install a fully functioning kitchen overnight??? Not a chance
@Paul Somers: I can see a fair bit of pushing the rules here alright. As in if it’s a family pub will the house kitchen count? And if there has to be a chef, does the chef have to be full time? Is there legislation to back this up?
@Jonnie Marre: Doesn’t take long to put in an oven and a deep fat fryer.
@Jonnie Marre: They never mentioned the kitchen aspect just said pubs selling food. :):)
@Jonnie Marre: it will happen.. you will be reading about it soon enough.. this is Ireland and we can be very Creative in small amounts of time
#ohitwillhappen#
@Fred the Muss…: You have to get a Food safety cert to operate a kitchen as far as I know
@Bert Carolan: agree with all you have outlined.. we are the Masters of finding Shortcuts.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: You have to register with HSE as far as I know but is legislation in place to say that any pub that opens must be registered with the HSE? But maybe all this is sown up.
@Bert Carolan: how about a chip van outside
@Bert Carolan: We’ll the food safety authority can shut down a kitchen and so the pub could be shut down as a result
@Thomas O’ Donnell: Fair enough but the pub would be closed anyway,
@Paul Somers: eh would they not need one of those legally binding documents that register them as a restaurant also.
@Fargo Boyle: nope they are already registered
. Any pubs that have recently served food only need to tweak things a bit to comply with the Regulations.. don’t have to register as a Restaurant.
@Paul Somers: EHO visited all the pubs that opened after the last lockdown to ensure correct food procedures in place, and the Garda were checking on pubs 4 to 5 times a week, im sure this will continue when this lockdown lifts too. (source: work in pub sector).
@Tina Kelly: don’t doubt youat all.. EHO most definitely did NOTvisit all pubs.. and the Garda did not come into our Pub 4or5 times in any given week” whilst in Level 2 or 3.. without doubt ‘in less than a mile radius of were I’m from there are 11 Public houses and only 3 to 4 of these were checked no more than 2 times in a week by any Relevant Authority.
If only we’d known all along that installing a kitchen on a premises would reduce transmission
@David Kelly: Like how being in school reduces transmission
@David Kelly: Is it really that hard to understand (I suspect not). Pubs are much better settings for transmitting a virus than restaurants. People sit at a table in a restaurant and are moved on after a certain period of time. There’s a lot more interaction between people in pubs. It would be legally/practically impossible to distinguish between a restaurant and a pub operating as a restaurant.
@Thomas O’ Donnell:So based on that ‘logic’ Restaurants are safer than schools
Is it really that hard to understand, that not all pubs are the same, that there is a big difference in a Sports Bar in Temple Bar than Ballyporeen in Tipp .. That not everyone is every pub is pissed, half naked jumping on top of on another.
How are gyms allowed to open, people working up a sweat, air transmission in an indoor setting ?
Approximately 1.46% of the population have had the virus.
Approximately 0.04% of the population have died from the virus
This based on the numbers in the story and that our population in 2019 was 4,904,000.
@Verners Tess: died with the virus
@Verners Tess: so if you were in charge, what would you do?
@Dublin days: It would make sense to protect the vulnerable and their carers. No sign of that today. The expectation is that ‘all society will protect the vulnerable’. A bit of a stretch when all society might not each be responsible for a vulnerable person or be exceptionally alarmed that those we are artificially and with great cost be keeping alive might succumb
@Paul Walsh: exactly. The strategy that we used since day one could only have ever worked if every single person played their part (human nature means that was never going to happen) and we actually had the legal, financial and staffing means to close our borders (we don’t). We then get people shocked and insulted that people like me suggested we should isolate the vulnerable while their suggestion was isolate everyone. The current strategy killed 2,000 people and we did nothing to protect the vulnerable. We left our hospitals and nursing homes and care homes wide open. We let the virus run rampant through meat factories and direct provision centres. And to top it off, we’ve tanked our economy for at least the next 10-15 years with countless lives ruined. For what?
@Paul Walsh: You think all those classed as vulnerable are being “artificially” kept alive ? Wow ! You really haven’t a clue.
@Cliff Burnby: depends how you’re comparing artificial and natural, I suppose. Those living in nursing homes are there because they can no longer adequately care for themselves. It’s not an unfair description, in that sense. It’s just unpleasant to think of it that way.
@Verners Tess: No, that’s positive tests, not had Covid-19.
@Verners Tess: that’s not even “from. It’s”with”!!
@Aidan Keogh: A third of our population are classed as vulnerable, do you think a third of our population are in nursing homes ?
I’ll say this and this is all I’ll say on the matter. RIP publicans.
@Sean Kelly: Clam down Son.
@Sean Kelly: agreed there end of the line for alot,very sad.
@Fred the Muss…: .
The Taoiseach on the news pontificating to us more plebs. How can anyone take this ribbing clown seriously?
@Frank Cauldhame: I do. It’s ranting like that I don’t take seriously
High risk pubs, closed since March. Where’s the studies? It’s hearsay
@Owwwwnnnn: BREAKING NEWS Ireland isn’t the only country affect by covid. Theres is ample evidence worldwide on this. Why don’t you Google the effect that states in the US which reopened too early suffered. 100,000 daily average case numbers. And really, you would read a scientific study? And Santa is bringing me a PS5….
Queue the shaming videos of folk take away pinting over next 3 weeks! Curtain twitchers.
@Gavin Mckenna: its been more than 3 weeks, its been happening through this lockdown. This is why we can’t have nice things.
@Paul Cunningham: Agreed but eh CHRISTMAS brings em all out. You think b4 was bad, 100 times worse in next festive few weekd. The do gooder brigade. Wait you see. Sad.
@Paul Cunningham: Its being happening since March and we know because the likes of you have been complaining about them since, Covid rates have being going up and down since .. buts sure keep the narrative spinning that its the pubs are the issue ..
@Da Dell: Aint spinning and the likes a me? No sorry Paul. I’m all for supporting bars take away pints for me all the way. It’s the public videoing photos of this that’ll go tru the roof over next 3 weeks, it’s guaranteed with the shaming via social media. An absolute disgrace. As I said curtain twitchers.
P cribbing just on rte there saying that pubs have to open because they do 30 percent of their annual turnover in December. This is totally misleading. How do except to do those sort of numbers with restricted numbers and social distancing?
Could they not have opened the wet pubs but have table service only?
Insane can you imagine all the house parties there will be.
@Colin Mcgahon: But Leo said yesterday that he dosent agree with that sentiment, on the contrary he thinks that people are more likely to go to house parties if they have been to the pub, a totally out of touch fool. if people have nowhere to go then a house it will be!!
@Mel Finn: Did you ever hear of house parties after the pub?
@Thomas O’ Donnell: so no change to the risk profile then. House parties or pub then house parties, it’s all the same really. At least half the night in the pub there’d be someone in their ear.
@Colin Mcgahon: and fighting possibly a few murders but lamb leo knows a shaky martin we won’t let out poor mary lou like a carry on film
@Tommy the postman: I’ll have a pint of whatever you’re having, maybe then I might understand what you’re saying there.
Govt claiming no stats to open pubs heres one. Ye tried to shut take away 2 weeks ago because of street drinking this week ye are effectively endorsing it more u turns than Maggie T
Open the pubs in schools. They’re immune!
Don’t see how they can say ‘Wet pubs would be spreading the virus’ without giving us a link to the data which of course doesn’t exist.
I dont know who’s more miserable Mc Conkey or George Lee ,they act like born again alcoholics.
@Paul Mc: Doctor Death and the Grim Reaper….
@Paul Mc: Jaysus don’t forget about Fergal Bowers, that man has single handedly saved the stationary industry. The amount of notebooks he has gone through doing the daily dept of health announcements
SHOW US THE EVIDENCE
Interesting…strong evidence from the 2 weeks in the past 9 months that they were open???Knob.
There is no evidence to support this
The Taoiseach on the news pontificating to us mere plebs. How can anybody take this fibbing clown seriously?
Open the washing machine
@Vinny Clare: open the dishwashers
Publish the data to prove it mehole…..
@Eddie Michael: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7510694/
This relates to nightclubs, however there’s no difference out from the opening times between a busy packed wet pub and a nightclub essentially…
The blind leading the blind….
@rolyat ecnal: that’s an insult to blind people whose other senses are usually sharper . Out of touch group advises other out of touch group to lead the masses into another lockdown.
@Sean Nihill: ah dont worry your cotton socks, they can’t see this
Time for PUBLICANS to stand together. Surely their representative federations should encourage all of their members to decline the offer of 12 pieces of silver, to abandon their colleagues who don’t have cooking facilities. Allowing them to open is a token gesture aimed at nothing more than providing toilet facilities for the long suffering shoppers in the bigger towns and cities.
Why haven’t they produced it then, because there isn’t any it’s just guesswork, they are being victimised
The phrase on Wednesday from this phantom data was “where alcohol was consumed” the phrase today is “wet pubs”. Then he says 10 days after pubs opened,which seems to be a very short period of time to point the finger at any sector considering schools were open a few weeks beforehand.
Pubs in Dublin were closed yet cases spiked yet pubs are to blame…
The local pub not just in rural Ireland that may have liked to have their own running kitchen,chef and expand but the finances weren’t there because the pub trade has been on a downward spiral for years has now got the final nail.
Shebeens, house parties, street drinking and crazed binges will be the order for the next month or so. But that probably would be the way even if pubs were to open.
This has to stop. SHOW US THE EVIDENCE because no one trusts you anymore. If they don’t show us the evidence then we are not following the rules they are making up as the go along. The time for faith and trust is over. We’ve been shown nothing since this whole thing started. We don’t even know what data is being used in NPHETS modeling
the wimp is anti pub anyway
They never gave the pubs a change..FF are dead
There is no evidence to support this. Another blatant lie. He can’t help himself.
Did pubs not open the same day as college’s and schools reopened? Where is the evidence it was the pubs? Pubs were open for 2 weeks and even after they were closed for more than a month the numbers were rising causing the level 5 lockdown. But ya it’s the pubs. Zero evidence to suggest the pubs were the driving factor.
Unfortunately, a lot of people have yet to see the economic fall out from this. Other countries are predicting more than 50% of retailers and bars will close or never reopen in 2021.
I wonder what the government will or can do to create more jobs in other sectors. Whatever it is they need to start now.
@paul: govt do not create jobs. People who start businesses create jobs. People who work in Govt have no skin in the game and have never started a business or employed anyone. Some politicians have created businesses very these people are very rare. The govt are in the process of bankrupting these people.
Where is this evidence
@James: in the data….
@Jim Buckley Barrett: where’s the data? In the evidence?
Traditional pubs I refuse to use that other ridiculous word have gotten a seriously raw deal here, mind you I can’t wait to get out for a heap of pints next week
So Dr Me-hole has evidence !!! Is he a doctor of Deja-Vu or scaremongering ?
Genuinely is there a link to read this ‘evidence’? Mot being smart,
Evidence??? What evidence…theve all been closed since March ffs
Is going to show the evidence.
When was the last time he got wet never mind being in a pub
If pubs are going to be a problem for the future, is it not time that we looked at what is available to everyone at home legally?
@EPBIRL: You mean to ban alcohol completely? This is Ireland. There’d be riots, armageddon. The country in ashes.
@Bert Carolan: I doubt there would. Total lack of spine throughout the country. I would support a publicans’ revolt by drinking heartily in as many pubs as could be supported by my own constitution.
Author should proof read before publishing
Didn’t have a clue from day 1. Now 8 months on still not a funking clue what to do, just following the Brits and thats been a disaster.
Ill be out in Auckland partying tonight same as i have been for most of 2020.
Publish this evidence!!
They’ve more a less dangled going back to level 5 in Jan to make up for Xmas mingling in our faces, so don’t see what more harm opening a wet pub adhering to guidelines is gonna do… Its the wrong call keeping them closed and a large amount of people are now looking at the fact their place of work, being a pub will prob never get to open its doors again.
but we ok to let them do take away drinks meet in large groups, then urinate everywhere as no bathrooms
they should have let them open in a controlled envoirmnment
either way the cases i think will increase but at least give chance to do this safely
This so called evidence needs to be produced and shown .
Here’s what the only democratic review stated on NPHET
6. Adequacy and transparency of data used in decision making
24. The State’s response to Covid-19 demonstrated the need for data-led, evidence-based decision
making and the key role of data in informing policy, as well as developing strategy. Measures
designed to contain the spread of infection, including localised lockdowns, restrictions of particular
sectors, such as the hospitality sector, and restrictions on those entering the State and on Irish
residents seeking to leave to State, require accurate and robust data to be effective.
25. The Committee heard that all such recommended restrictions were based on available capacity in
Irish healthcare system, data collected in Ireland or international evidence.
26. Despite requests from representative bodies of the sectors concerned and this Committee, this
evidence was not produced.
27. The systems, processes and procedures used by NEPHET, including its capacity to engage and
communicate with outside medical and scientific experts, should be peer reviewed by an
independent expert panel in accordance with the norms of accountability and for future learning.
Recommendation 9:
Data relied upon by NPHET, its modelling code, as well as international evidence relied upon in
making its recommendations to the Government in response to Covid-19, should be published in
full and a peer review commission.
Absolute Rubbish, obviously the Gastro pubs have enough political investment to warrant this total inequality, shame on the the Vintners Federation as well, one closed all closed. We will still be in level 5 lockdown in January. From over 300 yesterday to 205 today, Are We seriously meant to believe this!! SEVEN people died in the last 24hrs, Ah lets open for Christmas, If You’re gonna open up then open up, stop discriminating. Still Stumbling around in the dark Micheal. Happy Christmas Peeps.
Evidence of wet pubs spreading cv19
One positive about this bloody virus……was able to walk around the city today without a collection box being shoved under my nose every ten feet, like is the norm at this time of the year.
The author needs to proof read before publishing
If that’s true, I would like to see the strong proof.
Seems my account has been unrestricted after 2 months even if I can’t use the app
He’s right. Pubs open equals virus spread. Lockdown till January. It’s the safe way.
What a crock of s hit
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