O'Bama kicks off his Irish tour

You can bet O'Bama will pull a pint in an Irish pub.

Tourism Ireland is hoping U.S. President Barack O'Bama's - let's make the President truly Irish - visit to the Emerald Isle this week will help encourage more Americans to make travel plans to the prettiest patch of green in the world.

Ireland is where O'Bama has some firm family roots - it's the home of his great, great grandfather, and let's face it, with all its economic woes, Ireland needs all the help it can get.

I have no worries O'Bama will love Ireland - I'd rank it among the Top 10 places in the world I've visited.

He won't have much time there so he'll miss Lahinch, one of the loveliest towns I've ever set foot in and whose seaside golf course is legendary, and of course Gallway, my favourite place in Ireland.

Gallway is where Christopher Columbus left from to discover the New World and it has a great connection to the Kennedy family - former president John F. Kennedy visited Gallway when he was in the Oval Office. Gallway's Old Town with its ancient book stores and quaint fish and chip shops is a delight.

I'm not a big fan of Dublin - too rowdy - but I must admit its coloured doors and parks charmed me.

Irish security officials have been put to the test the last few weeks - the Queen left Ireland a few days before O'Bama arrived - but you can bet the U.S. President will get a warmer welcome.