Is St. Patrick's Day In Obama's Blood? Obama And His Irish Roots

Obama's Irish Roots

In meeting with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen on St. Patrick's Day, U.S. President Barack Obama said 36 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. What Obama failed to mention is the fact that his family claims Irish ancestry as well.

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Obama's maternal grandmother Madelyn Payne Dunham, who died in 2008 just two days before Obama won Presidential election was of mostly English ancestry, with smaller amounts of German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Swiss and French ancestry. 

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Genealogy website ancestry.co.uk revealed that Obama's Irish ancestry also comes from his great great great grandfather Falmouth Kearney via his maternal grandfather Stanley Armour Dunham. It is alleged that Falmouth Kearney was born in Ireland, but immigrated to the United States in 1850 to seek better life overseas. 

The Ancestry of Barack Obama put together by genealogist Addams Reitwiesner says that Obama is about 4% Irish while also being 50% Luo and 35% English.

During 2008 Presidential campaign the Irish band Hardy Drew and the Nancy Boys has even written a song called "There’s No One As Irish As Barack O'Bama" to celebrate Irish ancestry of Obama. 

Of course, the most Irish US President was John F. Kennedy. In fact, Kennedy became the first Irish American president. During his visit to Ireland in 1963, Kennedy joined with Irish President Éamon de Valera to form The American Irish Foundation to foster connections between Americans of Irish descent and their homeland.