The Irish Connection: The Inauguration from Dublin

K. Watson: Inauguration from Dublin

I WAS hurrying past my favorite Dublin pub when I heard an American voice projected over the rush-hour traffic. The voice was louder than the din of the cars and buses driving by. Unaware of the time, I suddenly realized that President Barack Obama’s Inauguration speech was being broadcast onto the street.

My vote is counted in Alaska, but I am resident in Dublin, Ireland. This has meant that over the past two years I have often been asked to defend America and its policies. But since the election I am no longer asked what my opinion on Bush is. Nor am I asked what my opinion on Obama is. I am just told, “It’s great about Obama, you must be delighted.”

To celebrate the inauguration I made plans to attend an inaugural ball hosted by the Dublin chapter of Democrats Abroad, an official Democratic Party organization for Americans residing outside of the country. I was excited to spend time with other Americans on the Inauguration Day. But my feelings of joy and inspiration on Inauguration Day came not through dancing to Frank Sinatra with a group of expatriates.

They came through watching people stop on their way home from work to listen to Obama’s speech being broadcast out of a pub. They came through hearing an Irish taxi driver say, “If Obama does half as well as everyone is hoping, I’ll be happy.”

Lately the news in Ireland has been filled with job losses, tax increases, and the nationalizing of Anglo-Irish Bank. Yet every Irish person I spoke with on January 20th had something positive to say about Obama and his policies. The enthusiasm for him is reminiscent of that for President John F. Kennedy. Like many Americans, the Irish are concerned about the financial crisis and how their jobs will be affected. Two weeks ago, Dell announced the loss of 1900 jobs at their Limerick site, and each day the Irish Times announces another cut. If President Obama is able to help solve this crisis, he won’t have to be a Kennedy to continue being admired here.

Katie Rose Watson is pursuing an M.Phil in Comparative Literature at Trinity College, Dublin.