Gaeilge ónár n-Uachtarán

Part two of the excitement:

Obama charms crowd with ‘cupla focal’ (May 23, 2011)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/presidential-visit/obama-charms-crowd-with-lsquocupla-focalrsquo-2654999.html

Obama in Ireland: president searches for 'missing apostrophe' (May 24, 2011)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/8532091/Obama-in-Ireland-president-searches-for-missing-apostrophe.html
Almost any other visitor who mauled the Irish language so severely might expect a reception as cold as the waters of the Liffey.
I thought that was a bit harsh, frankly. I wondered if that sub-heading might have been cooked up by the copy editors -- it's a British news org, after all -- but in the story that followed the reporter stated that Obama said "Ta athas orm le bheith in Eireann" [sic] and honestly there's no way I heard 'le' there. Nothing at all, maybe, but no 'le'. Granted, he said a chairde pretty darn clearly where there was no call for the vocative case, but, ahem, he's not a student of Irish! I'm willing to cut him some slack. End of rant. -- Ed.

Obama's hotel warm-up ensured good reception for cúpla focal (May 25, 2011)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0525/1224297715722.html

More details on the parts of the speech referring to/using Irish:
Hours of waiting a distant memory in presence of hero - May 24, 2011
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0524/1224297638686.html

And, to wrap up this tour of the news, a lighthearted comparison of the two visits:
The Queen Style versus The President (May 25, 2011)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2011/0525/1224297699207.html
I disagree with their verdict on the language issue, but they have a right to their opinion. I say the Queen's pronunciation may perhaps have been better, but Obama said more!