The world was watching
A posse of press from across the United States, Ireland, the UK and Europe arrived in town this time twenty years ago to cover the historic visit of US President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hilary and their daughter Chelsea.
Once confirmation was received that the President would stop in Dundalk on his way from Dublin to Belfast, a major operation was put in place to ensure that the international press corps covering the visit would be able to send their stories back to their newsrooms and television stations without a hitch.
The then Arts Office in the Market Square (now occupied by the TTCM and Panama Coffee) was turned into a press centre for the Irish and British Press, while the American press were set up in the Town Hall.
For days before the visit, crews from Eircom and the ESB worked to ensure that the journalists and broadcasters would be able to send their reports back to their newsrooms via a satellite which was positioned overhead.
The five main US networks, CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox were based in the Town
Hall while BBC UTV, Chanell 4, ITV, RTE, along with the Irish domestic radio and European Press were station in the Arts Office.
The visit received extensive coverage across the globe, giving Dundalk some welcome publicity after years of negative commentary before the Peace Process.
Local journalists also had access to the press centre in the Arts Office but had the comfort of being able to return to their own offices to report on one of the biggest events ever to take place in Dundalk.