Irish roots: the Obama FM bus

A regional radio station in the midlands will change its name to Obama FM tomorrow when it broadcasts from the Irish ancestral home of US president elect Barack Obama. i105-107 FM will broadcast all day from Moneygall in Co Offaly on its Obama FM bus on the eve of the historic inauguration.

"The Obama FM bus has been travelling around the midlands in recent days promoting the live broadcast. We just thought we should do something to celebrate Bar­ack Obama's Irish roots. It will be such a historical occasion, we had to mark it some way," said Alan Swan, i105-107 FM programme director.

Another business in the area is also trying to win publicity with a novel Obama promotion. The Pat the Baker company will next week supply a new product, 'Barack's Brack'.

Following the election of America's first black president, Taoiseach Brian Cowen promptly invited Obama to Moneygall.

A night of celebration has been planned for the pubs in the town on Tuesday night and RTÉ's Ryan Tubridy will broadcast his radio show live from the village on the Offaly-Tipperary border.