Obama offered a free pint and ticket to the Cavan match - 'why wouldn't you?'
Seamus Enright
US President Barack Obama could don the blue and white of Cavan next month, that’s if he takes up one local man’s offer of 'a free ticket and a pint' if he joins him and his pals for Cavan’s Ulster quarter-final against Fermanagh.
Cootehill man and Cavan supporter Dean Arrowsmith is banking on the fact that despite his Offaly connections, President Obama might be a closet Breffni Blue. It’s prompted him to write to The White House in Washington extending the invitation - a decision made while celebrating the county’s thrilling victory over Armagh at the weekend.
'If you have time in your hectic schedule,' writes Dean in his email to Barack, 'I would like to invite you to attend the game with myself and a few friends, I will even pay in to the game for you (it’s only €15), and let you experience the national game of our country for the first time.'
It continues with the offer of Dean and his buddies stretching to even 'buy you a pint of Guinness and discuss the trials and tribulations of what occurred on the field!
'I know you probably won’t want to offend your native Offaly folk but we will also give you a Cavan jersey as a memento for the occasion.'
‘Let me know?’
Dean signs off by saying 'if you are interested let me know, it would be great to meet you. I worked in Chicago in 2009 and 2011 as a soccer coach so it is only fitting that I invite you to come with us to the game.
'You may think this is a joke email, but I assure you, we would love for you to come cheer on the ‘Boys in Blue’ with us.'
The Ulster quarter-final match between Cavan and Fermanagh is scheduled to take place around the same time of the G8 summit of world leaders - Brewster Park has been mooted, although a venue has not yet been agreed on.
Dean and his friends are no strangers to being in the public eye, last year they blagged their way to a free camper van and tickets to Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine.
Dean is yet to receive a reply from the US state office, but he remains hopeful: 'A free pint and free ticket from a Cavan man? Why wouldn’t you take up that offer?! It would be great to have him there - it would give the team a lift, if nothing else.'
If President Obama does go along hopefully he'll be treated to another wonder goal by Cavan's Cian Mackey: