Barack Obama Plaza is a motorway service area on the R445 road at Junction 23, just off the M7 motorway in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is beside the village of Moneygall, which is just across the county border in County Offaly, and is accessed using the Junction 23 slip roads.[1][2][3] It is named after former US president Barack Obama, whose third great-grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, lived in Moneygall and who emigrated to the US in 1850.[4] The Plaza cost €7 million to construct and opened on 30 May 2014.[5] An Obama museum–visitor centre opened on the following 4 July.[6][7] The Plaza is owned and operated by Pat McDonagh and his wife Una McDonagh.[citation needed]
| Barack Obama Plaza | |
|---|---|
 View of the services from the Junction 23 slip road | |
  Barack Obama Plaza Location within Ireland | |
| Information | |
| County | Tipperary, on the County Offaly border |
| Road | R445 road at Exit 23 off the M7 motorway |
| Coordinates: | 52°53′06″N 7°56′42″W / 52.884894°N 7.945059°W |
| Facilities | Petrol, shop, fast food, sandwiches, coffee, toilets, visitor centre, meeting rooms and wifi. |
| Operator | Pat and Una McDonagh |
| Date opened | 30 May 2014 |
| Website | http://www.barackobamaplaza.ie |
Facilities
edit
The service station operating under the Circle K brand has 26 petrol pumps across two forecourts offering unleaded petrol, diesel, MGO (marine gas oil), diesel exhaust fluid, and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). Charging stations including a fast-charge ESB electric car charge point.[citation needed]
In addition to fuel supplies there is a variety of food outlets including Supermac's, Papa John's Pizza, Mac's Place Bakery and Carvery, Bewleys coffee and a Spar shop. The Plaza also includes a visitor centre that provides information on Obama's family connections to Moneygall where his great-great-great-grandfather lived,[8] as well as five meeting rooms and a large function room.
A Local Link bus service, No. 854 between Roscrea and Nenagh, calls at Barack Obama Plaza seven days a week. The service connects with the local communities of Toomevara, Cloughjordan and Shinrone.[9][10] [11]
Art
edit
A bronze bust of Barack Obama by Mark Rhodes, and commissioned by Plaza owner, Pat McDonagh, was unveiled inside the Plaza by the US Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin O'Malley, on 22 September 2016.[12] On 20 August 2018, life-sized bronze sculptures of Barack and Michelle Obama, also by Mark Rhodes, were unveiled outside the Plaza by Cody Keenan, a former Obama speechwriter.[13]
References
edit
- ^ O'Connell, Hugh (26 January 2013). "Moneygall to get a 'Barack Obama Plaza', creating 60 new jobs". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ "Offaly Independent - Barack Obama Plaza creates 60 new jobs for Moneygall". Offaly Independent. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ "Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall to create 60 new jobs". Supermac's. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^
- Loftus, Valerie. "10 reasons why Barack Obama Plaza is the best place on earth". The Daily Edge. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- "Barack Obama Plaza". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- Team, TheJournal.ie (14 January 2017). "Barack Obama Plaza: Business is booming - but US tourists don't quite know what to make of it". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- "Barack Obama Plaza? The Curious Tale of How an Irish Rest Stop Was Named After a US President - Irish Fireside Travel and Culture". Irish Fireside Travel and Culture. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Rush to finish 'Barack Obama Plaza' in €7 million rest stop development - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ Obama Plaza opens in ancestral home of Moneygall, Offaly Irish Central, 2014-07-11.
- ^ Aaaaannd we're open!! Obama Plaza on Twitter, 2014-07-04.
- ^ "Unexpected things named after Obama". The BBC. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ New daily services from Local Link The Nenagh Guardian, 2019-09-19.
- ^ Local Link Tipperary announces 2 New Daily Bus Services Local Link Tipperary, 2019-09-17.
- ^ Route 854 Roscrea to Nenagh Timetable Local Link Tipperary, 2019-09-17.
- ^ Statue of Barack Obama unveiled in Offaly hometown Irish Central, 2016-09-22.
- ^ Barack Obama statue unveiled in Moneygall, Co Offaly RTÉ News, 2018-08-20.
