Joe Biden beamed with Irish pride during his farewell speech to the people of Delaware before taking his role as President of the United States following his victory in the election over Donald Trump.
The Democrat has never shied away from his roots and his pride in being an Irish American.
It is not uncommon for American presidential candidates to highlight their Irish heritage in the run-up to elections to curry favour with the country’s huge Irish American population.
However, Biden has always been vocal and proud about his own family’s past.
Biden has previously traced his family tree back to Ireland, and frequently mentions his ancestors during speeches to the public.
The veteran politician has followed his family line back to his great-great grandfather, Owen Finnegan who lived in Co Louth.
Owen married Jean Boyle in 1839 and the couple moved to New York in the 1840s with their four children.
One of those children was James Finnegan, who was Biden’s great grandfather. James and his wife Catherine Roche moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania and had six children, one of which was Ambrose J Finnegan, Joe Biden’s grandfather.
Biden has also traced back the other half of his family tree to Ireland in Co Mayo.
In his farewell speech to the people of Delaware before taking his position in the White House, Biden quoted Irish poet James Joyce, saying his colleagues “used to always kid me for quoting Irish poets”.
“They thought I did it because I’m Irish. I didn’t do it for that reason.
“I did it because they’re the best poets in the world. James Joyce was said to have told a friend that when it comes his time to pass, when he dies, he said, “Dublin will be written on my heart.”
“Well, excuse the emotion, but when I die Delaware will be written on my heart, and the hearts of all of us, all the Bidens. We love you all.”
“Dublin will be written on my heart… when I die Delaware will be written on my heart.”
Joe Biden quotes James Joyce while giving an emotional farewell as he leaves his home state of Delaware for Washington DC, ahead of his inauguration as the 46th US President. pic.twitter.com/6DYbwyhAy5
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 19, 2021
