Hillary Clinton Surprises Onlookers on Grafton Street in Dublin *updated*
How would you like to be walking down the street outside the local pub and run into the U.S. Secretary of State?
I’d be thrilled!
[Kirit Radia of ABC tweeted a little while ago that she had a beer (a small Harp) and coffee inside the pub]
Update: Thanks to Lucy for giving me the heads up about this article:
THIRTEEN CARS and three buses wound their way to Farmleigh and another piece of history was made as the first US secretary of state to make a dedicated visit to Ireland emerged from an armoured 07 BMW.
She came dressed in a royal blue “pantsuit”, feminised with a ruffle, a large silver necklace and black kitten heels, none of which detracted from that formidable gaze as she and the Taoiseach swapped diplomatic phrases under a lowering sky.
It was a transformed Hillary, wrapped in a black coat and jolly yellow scarf, who stepped from a limousine on South Anne Street in Dublin city centre a few hours later as dusk was falling.
The Irish are not a slow people. The Garda presence on South Anne Street was a giveaway and the lads in Kehoe’s pub were ready and waiting with a big cheer. Suddenly, from the emptying streets, humans were emerging from all angles, beaming just-got-lucky grins and wielding their camera phones, as a totally relaxed Hillary smiled and chatted her way towards Bewley’s, the usual wary secret service crew keeping watch but giving room for an astonishingly intimate love-in.
“Got your Michael Jackson glove?” she asked merrily, showing the stuff that made her great by clocking – in the dusk – the single white glove on a small boy’s hand.
Two little red-haired girls, Laura and Emma Smithers from Knocklion, Co Cavan, presented her with flowers : “Oh my gosh is that for me? Can I take them with me?” she asked, wide-eyed.
The sole dissenter was an earnest young man in a black windcheater who asked when she would be getting the solders out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Shannon.
“We’re working on it,” she said, by which time a few well-practised shoulder movements from secret service men swiftly bundled him to the back.
Next stop Bewley’s, where a couple of small boys stood clicking their iPhones in her face as she waited for her cappuccino.
“You guys together?” she grinned, drawing them both in for a picture.
How was she maintaining the pace, asked The Irish Times ? Multi-vitamins and “a bit” of exercise. “I’m not up at 4.30am. No! But I exercise a bit and I like to walk . . . ”
On then to McDaid’s pub where the patrons were climbing on the counter for a better view.
“She’s a great ambassador for women,” said one. “Fabulous,” breathed her friend. “She’s just . . . just a lady,” said another, as George Hook ensnared her in a corner.
As she sipped a beer, someone asked was it Guinness.
“This glass has a harp on it,” she replied sharply, as in “that’s good enough for me”.
Back outside, a stunned Joanne and Bob Kalinowski from Scranton, Pennsylvania, stood almost in tears. “We live 14 miles from her, and this is our first time to see her.”
This is a photo I found of John Kehoe’s pub on South Anne Street, just off Grafton Street:
And this is McDaids pub on Harry Street in Dublin:

inside McDaids pub, Harry St. Dublin
Many thanks for the video. Any chance there’s a video of her having a good time inside the pub?
Believe me, if I find one, you guys will be the first to know- as it happens, the guy who posted this video on youtube said it was a total chance encounter and used the video function on his phone. But, I will keep an eye out for any video of her in the pub. Given Kirit Radia seems to have been *in* the pub with her, you would think *someone* in the press got a photo or *something*.
@ stacy FYI, I found your video on twitter. But when I clicked on the link there, I got your home page with the message “404: Page Not Found” It’s only after I clicked on “Home” that I was able to view the page.
Thanks for letting me know! I just deleted that tweet and will try again to see if it works this time
Ok, got it this time, it seems to be working. Thanks again!
Yes – I got in through Twitter too. She looks all dressed up for the evening. I see a long scarf. And we do want to see her inside listening to the music! I’m sure the musicians will serenade her!
here is the link for the article about her surprise visit on Grafton Street
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/1012/1224256437974.html?via=rel
Oh, Lucy thanks so much! I’ll add it right now!
you´re welcome 🙂
more photos you can find here
Lucy, marry me! That is WONDERFUL!
Thanks I wish I were in that Pub. How great is that.
arrrrh, She’s just so cute! Remember during the primaries when she made a couple of stops to pubs in Indiana and Pennsylvania and had a shot? She’s a natural.
This is BEAUTIFUL! Really? The first dedicated visit by an SOS? I told you they love her in Ireland! And when I got to the Scranton couple at the end, I almost cried myself.
OMG these are FANTASTIC!!! I’m gonna “borrow” some for my facebook page….
I saw a video of her on the CBS Early Show, but it’s not posted online, it was part of the 8am news update. The part they showed was with her and Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney (Owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and notices she’s wearing… black and gold.
By the way the video linked here has been removed.
Thanks Barry- I wonder why it was removed? I can’t do much about it right now at work but I’ll see if I can find another video later. I can’t even tell that it’s been removed when I’m on my work computer because I don’t have the right plug-ins.
She’s on the Today show today, hopefully I will be able to post the video later. They usually put them on their website.
I removed the old video and found another one that appears to be working ok
Adorable pictures of her. Wish I had been in the pub with her.
Hi Just saw the video and pictures of Hillary during her stop in Dublin on your blog. I met her earlier that day at Áras an Uachtaráin (residence of the Irish President Mary McAleese). It was great to meet her and she very kindly had her picture taken with my daughter and I. Thanks to HRC, Huma and all her staff for the trouble they took that day.