The trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement - and Biden has close links to Ireland. Also known as King John's Castle, as it was seized by King John of England in 1210 - the same King John who ruled over legendary hero Robin Hood. Biden joins a long list of distinguished visitors to the house, including Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and President Barack Obama. Originally built as a medieval fortress for King John of England in the early 1200s, it was the seat of English, then British, rule in Ireland until 1922. Finally, Biden will speak at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina - the structure his great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold bricks for.

Source: The Herald April 15, 2023 23:47 UTC