Joe Biden has been officially sworn in as the new President of the United States.
Biden is the 46th President of the United States of America, while outgoing leader Donald Trump boycotted the inauguration ceremony and flew to Florida.
Vice President Kamala Harris makes history as the first female, first Black and first South Asian to assume the role.
Tight security measures were in place for today’s inauguration, which took place two weeks after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in protest against the 2020 election result.
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle, who’s father Frank hails from Glencolmcille, said today was a beautiful day: “Of all the Inaugurals in my lifetime this was the most emotional, given all that has happened.”
Honored to be representing PA-2 at the #Inauguration of @JoeBiden as the 46th President of the United States 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/zgJD8uY2ZR
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) January 20, 2021
President Biden is the 23rd US President to have Irish roots, as his great, great, great grandfather, Edward Blewitt, emigrated to the States in the 1850s.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin celebrated the new US President’s ancestral links and shared a message of congratulations, saying: “The inauguration of a new US President is a moment of hope and renewal in US political life.
“As he takes the oath-of-office, I know that President Biden will feel the weight of history – the presence of his Irish ancestors who left Mayo and Louth in famine times in search of life and hope.
“He will remember their descendants’ hard struggle as they made their way in and their contribution to the United States. It is the story of Irish-America.
“I hope he will also be conscious of the great pride we in Ireland take in his immense achievement. He is one of us, part of our global family.
“I look forward to welcoming President Biden back to this island and deepening cooperation on global peace, climate change, economic partnership and stability.”
Mr Martin also paid tribute to Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she had created history and “will help form a diverse and formidable administration”.
