AFP - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived Monday morning in Ireland, the first stage of a European tour a week and land of his ancestors, has been a photographer for AFP on board the presidential plane Air Force One.
The President's plane, which is accompanied by his wife Michelle landed in Dublin about 9:30 (0830 GMT), slightly earlier than expected.
Mr.Obama, who planned to stay 24 hours in Ireland, will hold talks with President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Enda Kenny, while Ireland is facing a serious economic crisis.
But the highlight of his visit to the island, under high security to be its displacement in the small village of Moneygall, which is from his great-great-great grandfather.
Cobbler's son, the grandfather of Obama, Falmouth Kearney, lived in this village located 130 km from Dublin up to 19 years in 1850 before emigrating to the United States, driven by famine like of thousands of his countrymen.
In this village, waiting for Obama as the prodigal son, still lives a distant cousin of the president, Henry Healy, an accountant for 26 years.
Obama is expected late in the day to speak outdoors on the steps of the Bank of Ireland, in the center of the capital which are expected tens of thousands of people.
On Tuesday, Obama is expected in London.
