IT will be a moment 14-year-old Jamie John ‘Barack’ Nolan from Templemartin will never forget when he was ‘high fived’ by his namesake and former president of United States in the 3Arena in Dublin last Friday night.
But it wasn’t the first time Jamie met Obama because at just five weeks old in 2011, the then president held him while on a visit to Moneygall in County Offaly, where his ancestors hailed from.
Speaking to The Southern Star, Jamie’s dad Brian said that was a memorable day in Moneygall, when he lunged the young Jamie into Barack’s arms who was on a meet and greet during his official visit to Ireland in 2011.
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‘When I heard Obama was coming to Dublin to speak at a corporate event I thought it would be nice to get Jamie to meet him again to close the circle. I contacted Obama’s people to tell him about my son’s encounter with the president previously. They loved the story and organised the meet and greet at the 3Arena,’ said Brian, who added that Obama seemed genuinely happy to meet their son for the second time.
Jamie said that once Obama saw him in line he knew immediately who he was and the fact that he won the All-Ireland U15 Fleadh for singing in English earlier this summer.
‘When he saw me he said: ‘You’re the other Barack’ and then he gave me a high-five,’ recalled Jamie.
‘He was talking to us for about two minutes, much longer than the others along the line and we got pictures taken. He knew all about my singing too and had seen my videos. It was amazing to meet him.’
Jamie, who is in second year at Presentation Bandon, said it’s been a ‘mad’ week since the story broke about him being invited to meet the former president for the second time in his life. ‘We stayed for the interview too which he had with Fintan O’Toole and it was good to hear his opinions.’
They even gave the former president a gift of a bog oak pen from Moneygall, which was made by Jamie’s grandmother.
Jamie wasn’t long home before he was back up to the 3Arena on Monday night to see one of his musical heroes Lewis Capaldi in concert.
