The owner of Jackson’s Hotel Barry Jackson welcomes President Michael D Higgins to the Ballybofey hotel
There was tight security in Jackson’s Hotel in Ballybofey when President Michael D Higgins was forced to make an unscheduled stay at the hotel.
The President, who was accompanied by his wife Sabina and entourage of ten officials, had been on his way to address the G.A.A. annual Congress in Derry and was originally scheduled to fly into Derry Airport.
However, the inclement weather conditions which prevailed throughout Northern Ireland over the weekend meant that the President decided to make the journey by road and decided to stop over at Jackson’s on the Friday night before making his way to the nearby maiden city on Saturday morning.
Playing host to dignitaries is part of everyday life in the family run hotel but hosting Ireland’s first citizen was particularly gratifying for the hotel and staff.
Michael D., as a Labour Party T.D., has stayed in Jacksons on previous occasions before he became President, mainly during election campaigns, so he would have been familiar with the unique welcome afforded to visitors.
The President and his entourage enjoyed the comfort and friendliness of customers and staff during the overnight stay, during which members of the party were treated to the famous Irish Coffee, a drink invented by the late Joseph Jackson, founder of the hotel.
Margaret Jackson said it was a great honour for the Hotel to accommodate the first citizen and she hoped this would be the first of many visits.
Just last week she had met the President when he was interviewed on the Late Late Show in Dublin, a show when people from the Twin Towns figured prominently in promoting their attempt to break the record for gathering a large number of Patrick’s at one venue on St. Patrick’s Day.
Margaret said, “President Higgins is a lovely man, very ordinary and down-to-earth, and it was a pleasure for us to have him here in the Twin Towns, if only for a brief period. We have invited him back again next time he is in the North-West and he knows he is assured of a real Donegal and Finn Valley welcome. We hope he comes back sooner rather than later”.