Proud day for McGeough family as the Windsor hosts president Biden

The visit of the US president was a day that will live long in the extensive history of the Windsor Bar and Restaurant; a history owner Donal McGeough had to regale embassy staff and US officials with before they’d green light the venue for Joe Biden’s speech.

As part of the vetting process for the visit Donal had to explain how the pub got its name and convince officials it held no political connotations

“I had to explain to them that this place was built in the 1890s on the corner of Dublin street and Windsor Avenue and of course the street name got changed after independence to Vincent’s Avenue,” Donal told the Democrat.

“But the Windsor was being run by the Lennon sisters who ran it for 80 years and changed nothing in 80 years, didn’t change the name and weren’t going to change the name.”

Donal explained how he was first informed of a potential visit only a few days before the president was due to come to the town.

“The first contact was made with me by Brian McPartland from the White House staff.

“He called me on the bank holiday Monday.

“He came in and toured the Pub and said there was a possibility the president would be stopping off, but that they were looking at other options and it may not happen at all.

“Late on Tuesday, Brian came in for lunch with other members of his team and it was around 4 o’clock that afternoon that he said it was looking very likely the president would be making a stop.

Organisers needed a venue that was big enough and members of the Irish Embassy and gardai thought the Windsor’s position on the corner would be ideal from a security point of view, with plenty of entry and exit points.

The following 24 hours saw a frenzy of activity as a swarm of people descended on the pub to carry out security checks and set the stage for the president’s speech.

But even at 3 o’clock on Wednesday as the secret service was doing one last security sweep with their dogs, Donal says he still wasn’t 100% it would still be going ahead.

The event, of course, did take place with 150 people including national and international media, government officials, local politicians and friends and family packing into the Windsor.

Donal got to greet the president and Michael Martin with his eldest son and mother as they came in and said he was impressed with the president’s warm demeanour.

“He had a lovely chat with my mother.

“They’d both be from the same era, and they made a lovely connection.

“I got to have a chat with him.

“I told him that my mother had ten children and thirty seven grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren and he was in awe of her.

“When he was leaving he made a point of going back over to her in her seat and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“It was very heartwarming. He’s a very sincere, solid sort of a guy.”

When his speech was finished, the president was in no apparent hurry to leave, taking the time to talk with bar staff and the gathered crowd.

“As soon as he finished his speech, I thought this had to be choreographed and nobody was allowed near him without permission, but not at all, he just took off, going down through the people shaking hands taking selfies and photos and singing happy birthday to one wee [child].”