Barack the First Citizen of Dublin

Obama gets freedom of city but councillors blank event in protest

- BY DANNY DE VAAL

FORMER US president Barack Obama was all smiles after he was awarded the Freedom of Dublin yesterday along with a bottle of Teeling Whiskey and a first edition of Ulysses.

Around 30 people attended the ceremony, held in the Shelbourne Hotel for security reasons, where he signed the roll of honour.

Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, his wife Niamh and their six-year-old son Iarla were also present - with the young lad presenting a gift of a homemade Spider-Man card to the former world leader.

The decision to honour Obama was made following a vote by councillors back in 2017.

The private ceremony was not open to the public or the media but several councillors were present, as was former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, and TD Michael Lowry.

CONVERSATION

The US politician accepted as he was in the capital already to speak at An Evening With President Barack Obama, In Conversation with Fintan O'Toole at the 3Arena tonight.

But not everybody was happy with the decision, with some councillors even calling for a boycott yesterday.