Barack Obama obsessed Moneygall in Offally listed among weirdest places

When asked "what's the weirdest place you've ever been to?" a small Irish village with strong links to a former US president came up trumps... albeit for behavior that is a little eccentric.

Reddit users took to the online community to reveal the more bizarre destinations they've visited on vacation. With over 700 comments there was one that stuck out to us, that being Moneygall, in County Offaly. 

User "Pacinosdog" asked: "What's the weirdest place you've ever been to?" They added: "This could mean a place with a weird vibe or a place that clashes with the rest of the country or region." Moneygall was one of the selections. 

"Maddy_egg7" wrote: "It was very strange to see so many keychains, trinkets, and town decorations dedicated to a U.S president."

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The Obamas greeting their fans in Moneygall.

Barack Obama's connection to Moneygall comes from his ancestral roots. In 2007, genealogical research revealed that Obama’s maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, was born in Moneygall and emigrated to the United States in 1850.

Kearney, a shoemaker by trade, left Ireland during the Great Famine and settled in Ohio. This discovery connected Obama to Ireland through his mother's lineage, tracing his Irish ancestry back to the 19th century.

Obama visited Moneygall in May 2011, during his presidency, where he met with local residents, including distant relatives, and visited the house where Kearney lived.

Since his visit, the region has also had a huge rest-stop area named the Barack Obama Plaza, which includes a large statue of Obama and Michelle.

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A statue of Barack and Michelle Obama at the Barack Obama Plaza.

Also a big fan of Moneygall, "Over-Ice-8403" pointed out that the village has a "really cool" service station called "Barack Obama Plaza."

User "Over-Ice-8403" commented: Seriously! It's so random. I've never seen anything called Barack Obama Plaza here in the USA."

User "TheFourChinTeller" wrote: 'My first time abroad I went here, and because I was an American one of the restaurants gave me lunch for free."

To which "Maddy_egg7" replied: "Yes! They gave me a free keychain at a gift shop in town. It was also my first time abroad, so I was really confused as to why everything was dedicated to the U.S president."