FIT FOR A PRESIDENT
Barack Obama receives piece designed and created in Sligo
US PRESIDENT Barack Obama not only was given shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day in the White House, but also a piece of Sligo.
The President, who has Irish roots, received a specially commissioned artwork of WB Yeats' The Lake Isle of Inisfree from Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The piece, pictured, was commissioned by the Sligo's Yeats Day Committee to honour the poet and to mark this special year of The Gathering.
It was designed and made by Sligo-based artist and designer Martina Hamilton.
Senator Susan O'Keeffe, of the Yeats Day committee said: “We are delighted that the Taoiseach agreed to give this gift to the US President in this year of The Gathering.
“The opening line of The Lake Isle of Inisfree ‘I will arise and go now and go to Inisfree' encapsulates the message of The Gathering.
“It's a poem that is known across America and across the world and it speaks to the diaspora too, evoking the inspirational beauty of Sligo and Ireland,”
Designer Martina, who is also on the Yeats’ committee said: “I chose the map of Lough Gill for the piece so that the President would know that the poem was rooted in Sligo – as WB Yeats was.
“I then created the drawing of the map in silver and used a green tourmaline gemstone to mark out the Lake Isle itself.
“It is inspired by the American giant Google Map's familiar blue spot, but of course this one is green.”
Ms Hamilton also produced Lake Isle silver cufflinks for President Obama and Taoiseach Kenny.
In a letter to the Yeats Day committee, the Taoiseach pledged to wear the cufflinks “with pride.”
He thanked the committee for its gift for President Obama, and for its efforts to support The Gathering in the US.
Yeats Day celebrations will take place in Sligo on Thursday June 13th, the poet's birthday.
There will be a series of events from dawn to dusk.
The day will launch the Season of Yeats festival which will run throughout the summer months.