The picturesque town of Ballina on the banks of the River Moy in northwest Ireland hums with activity ahead of a visit by its celebrated descendent Joe Biden this week.
The US president is due to arrive in the north County Mayo town Friday to address thousands in the place from which his family hailed before emigrating to Pennsylvania in the 19th century.
"There's great excitement going on at the minute" says one shop owner, while a council leader says "an ancestor of Ballina becoming US president... it's a beautiful story."
