Americans set for G8 stay at Slieve Russell Hotel

The Slieve Russell Hotel in Ballyconnell has been chosen as home to members of the American delegation following US President Barrack Obama while he is attending the G8 Summit of world leaders in neighbouring Fermanagh next month, The Anglo-Celt can confirm.
In the past the US President’s overseas entourage to such events has been known to be as large as 600 persons-strong, and The Celt understands that for the month of June, a total of 2,000 rooms have been booked to accommodate travelling members.
All rooms for the weekend of the Summit, taking place June 17-18, have been block booked, though the hotel, golf and country club with Ciúin Spa and Wellness Centre will remain open to the public.
It is understood that gardaí have been working with security agencies in the US to secure the Hotel, set on 300 acres, including 50 acres of lakes.
Only this past weekend did a team from the Garda Sub-Aqua unit carry out searches along the Woodford Canal to the border with Northern Ireland.
Members of the US travelling party, once they arrive for the G8 event, will travel to and from the Ballyconnell hotel to the Lough Erne resort where the high-power international meetings are set to take place.
While it is expected that President Obama and his principal advisors will be staying at the Lough Erne Resort itself, speculation was rife this past week that his family, wife Michelle and two daughters make at least one trip south, to Moneygall in Offaly to which the President’s descendency is linked.
Governments in the US, UK (which is host nation), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia are represented in the G8.
Hotels in other counties south of the border are also set to be in use by delegations attending the summit, with the Russian entourage due to arrive and stay at The Clarion in Sligo.
Meanwhile, officers from the crime and security branch at Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park are keeping in regular touch with the PSNI team in charge of planning the local protection for the visitors.

For full report see this week's Anglo-Celt newspaper