Joe Biden in Northern Ireland: timings and full schedule for US President’s Good Friday anniversary visit

US President Joe Biden is visiting Northern Ireland and Ireland this week.

His visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement at an event at Ulster University in Belfast and will also include a meeting with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and a visit to the town Ballina in County Mayo, where he has Irish roots. The White House confirmed the visit last week in a statement, stating that it would “mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.”

The Police Service of Northern Ireland have told members of the public to expect traffic disruption with some parts of the city of Belfast being closed off for the President’s journey. His planned visit comes after Northern Ireland’s terror threat level was increased from “substantial” to “severe”, meaning an attack is highly likely.

So, what is the full schedule for President Biden’s Northern Ireland visit? Here’s everything you need to know.

Why is President Biden visiting Northern Ireland?

President Biden is visiting Northern Ireland and Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He will be giving the key speech at an event at the newly opened Ulster University campus in Belfast and will also be attending events in Ireland, including visiting County Mayo, where he has Irish roots in the town of Ballina.

Speaking about the President’s planned visit, Vice-chancellor and president of Ulster University Professor Paul Bartholomew described it as a significant day. He said: “We are looking forward to what will be a very special day in the university’s history, and to hosting President Biden on his first visit to Northern Ireland since becoming president.”

He continued: “As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, Ulster University, across all three of our campuses, is looking forward to preparing the next generation of civic, business and societal leaders.”

When will President Biden visit Northern Ireland?

The White House confirmed that President Biden would be visiting the UK and Ireland from 11-14 April. They outlined his proposed schedule in a statement, sharing that the President was in Northern Ireland to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and would also travel to Ireland, with planned engagements in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo.

Here is the full schedule for President Biden’s Northern Ireland and Ireland visit:

Tuesday April 11: President Biden arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening. Air Force One touched down in high winds at RAF Aldergrove. Upon landing in Belfast, Biden was met by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Wednesday April 12: President Biden will hold bilateral talks with Rishi Sunak in the morning.At around 1pmPresident Biden will give the key speech at Ulster University’s newly opened Belfast campus to mark the 25th anniversary Good Friday Agreement. This is expected to be his only confirmed engagement during his visit to Northern Ireland. At 2.20pm, after spending just half a day north of the border, President Biden will travel to Co Louth. He is due to visit Kilwirra Cemetary at 4.15pm and Carlingford Castle at 5.20pm. At 6.45pm there is a community event in Dundalk. The US President is expected to travel to Dublin Castle in the evening, with the Irish Times reporting there will be a state dinner.

Thursday April 13: On Thursday, President Biden is expected to visit Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence of the Irish President, Michael D. Higgins. The Dáil and Seanad have also been recalled and he is expected to meet the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and give an address to the Oireachtas.

Friday April 14: President Biden will visit County Mayo, with a planned address outside St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina. The event is free and open to members of the public, you can find out more information on how to register for the event on the Irish US Embassy website. After the address, Biden is expected to return to America.

Will there be disruption?

The visit will be a big security operation for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). People have been told to expect travel disruption as parts of the city will be closed off for the President’s journey. In a statement shared on Twitter, the PSNI said the visit had the “potential to cause traffic disruption”, adding that further updates would be given in due course.

The planned visit comes after Northern Ireland’s terror threat level was increased from “substantial” to “severe”, meaning an attack is highly likely. The news comes after a warning on Friday (April 7) that the PSNI had received “strong” intelligence that dissidents are planning attacks against police officers on Easter Monday.

Who else is visiting Northern Ireland?

It’s not just President Biden who will be visiting Northern Ireland this week, former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State and current Queen’s University Chancellor Hillary Rodham Clinton are due to visit Belfast. The pair will attend an international conference to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement at Queen’s University. The former president played a key role in helping to negotiate the agreement and regularly visits Northern Ireland.