Joe Biden could find himself grounded by the windy Irish weather during his trip with fears he will have to ditch his helicopter if the gales are too strong.
The US President will begin his highly-anticipated five-day visit to Ireland today as Air Force One lands in Belfast today.
It was revealed yesterday that during his visit to Co Mayo on Friday Mr Biden will tour the Knock Shrine.
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He had plans to travel to his ancestral home in Co Louth by chopper tomorrow afternoon, but high winds could see him forced to go by road instead.
A wind warning has been put in place in the North, with gusts expected to reach up to 100kph tomorrow. Antrim and Down, in particular, have been warned of "strong winds bringing the potential for some disruption later on Tuesday and perhaps into the early hours of Wednesday."
Met Eireann has also issued a Status Yellow wind warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Meath, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork and Waterford, predicting "very strong gusts" in those counties on Tuesday evening and early on Wednesday.
If President Biden does have to travel across the border by road the PSNI and Garda are expected to put extra traffic restrictions in place. Mr Biden is expected to visit Dundalk and Cooley, where his great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan hailed from. Checks were being carried out at a GAA pitch on the Cooley Peninsula yesterday to see if the ground was suitable for a helicopter landing.
He will also visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre’s Family History Research Unit.
Mr Biden will make an address at St Muredach’s Cathedral to which his great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks in 1827.
On Friday evening the President is set to be entertained to the sound of the Chieftains at a gala event in Ballina.
It is understood up to two dozen traditional musicians will join Chieftains member Matt Molloy who lives just down the road from Ballina in Westport.
He also has a famous pub there in his own name where the full Chieftains group played for Biden when he visited Westport as US Vice-President in September 2016.
An entertainment industry source told the Irish Mirror that it is strongly rumoured that The Script will also make an appearance in Ballina.
Last night, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that during his visit to Belfast tomorrow Mr Biden will meet UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Mr Kirby said the President’s address at Ulster University will mark “the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago”.
He added: “It will underscore the readiness of the United States to preserve those gains and support Northern Ireland’s vast economical potential to the benefit of all communities.
“President Biden cares deeply about Northern Ireland and has a long history of supporting peace and prosperity there.”
Mr Kirby said despite violence in Derry yesterday Mr Biden is “very much looking forward to going to Belfast”.
On Thursday morning during his meeting with President Micheal D Higgins, the US President will ring the Peace Bell and
plant a tree at the Aras.
TDs, meanwhile, have been left in the dark about Mr Biden’s address to the Oireachtas on Thursday afternoon. Journalists who usually work on the complex have been told that they will not be allowed to walk up to the building and must go through security screening in a different location.
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