Obama’s visit and Twitter inspires artistic vision in Wicklow businessman

Obama’s visit to Ireland, and more importantly his famous visit to Ollie Hayes’s pub in Moneygall to enjoy a pint of Guinness, along with the thousands of people who tweeted about the President’s visit inspired a Wicklow businessman to create this piece of art.

Alan O’Flaherty who owns Fluffy Button, a personalizing and printing company in Wicklow, created a one off image of Obama made from approximately 1,000 Twitter avatars of users who tweeted on May 23rd.

O’Flaherty explained how he created the poster entitled “Is Féidir Linn” (“Yes We Can”). He said “It's made up of 1,000 photographs of people who tweeted about the visit on the day. I got the idea of making the image after seeing something similar done when Obama was first elected president.”

Click here to visit the “zoomable version” of the image

The Taste of Ireland? - KFC now cooked with Baileys in China - VIDEO

What would the Colonel say to Bailey’s fried chicken on the rocks?

Who doesn't like a glass of Bailey's Irish Cream on the rocks? Or even a shot over a scoop of ice cream as a treat. ButHow about slathered over a serving of Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Yuck.

That's how they like it in China according to the new advertisement, for the "Taste of Ireland" at KFC China.

KFC China's new meal deal features a three-piece chicken combo splashed with Baileys all for just 9 yuan ($1.38).

What is less American than chicken smothered in Bailey's in China? Although it might seem strange China has become KFC’s most profitable market. It is now ahead of the United States.

Apparently their success has been due to offering foods from the local markets such as egg tart, bamboo shoots and tofu dishes. Even Colonel Saunders himself has been altered in their posters and restaurants to look slightly Asian.

Where the Baileys comes into this we have no idea. The recipe for their "Taste of Ireland" special is also slightly different from their "seven herbs and spices" original. The limited "Irish" chicken is roasted in its skin while being basted with Baileys.

What do you think of their recipe? Would you try the "Taste of Ireland" KFC meal deal?

______________________________
READ MORE: 

Guinness and Baileys Irish cupcakes

Bailey’s cocktail served to four-year-old in Chilis restaurant

Baileys Irish Cream and Jameson cocktail for St. Patrick’s Day

Snap shot of people in Ireland - 50 people on the streets of Galway asked one difficult question - VIDEO

This brilliant student film "One Town, 50 different People, One very difficult Quesiton" presents a brilliant snapshot of the people in Galway City on a winters day in November 2010.

The movie is directed by Kamil Krolak, who based his filmed on fiftypeopleonequestion.com. Krolak nabbed 50 people, passing him and his camera crew on Shop Street, in Galway City, and asked them a very difficult question.

Californian's impression of Ireland: cold, red hair, drunk and full of leprechauns - VIDEO

Comedian Kassem G went to the beach to see what the public's opinion of Ireland was. The responses he received were both hilarious and terrifying.

Although there were the regular stereotypes like redheads and drunks there were also some very strange observations about leprechauns. One lady speaking about what they referred to as the Leprechaun Union in Ireland spoke about how leprechauns are "dusty as f*** and drive big green Cadillacs".

Others could not identify Europe let alone Ireland on the map and apparently Ireland's national flag is green, white, red and gold.

What do you think of the video? Are you insulted or is this just good fun.

Spectacular time-lapse footage shows Dublin City at its most beautiful - VIDEO

Some stunning time-lapse photography released by Richard Twomey, a Dublin-based photographer.

The footage shows shots of some Dublin landmarks including Dublin Port, O'Connell Street, George's Dock and more.

For more visit richardtwomey.com.


Dublin Time Lapse 2011 from Richard Twomey on Vimeo.

Sighs of relief as Kate Middleton and Prince William's Royal Wedding draws to a close - VIDEO

As the media begins to pack up and go home at Westminister Abbey and all of Kate Middleton and Prince William's guests had finally left the Abbey Verger Ben Sheward couldn't contains himself and displayed his relief by cartwheeling down the aisle.

The footage was caught by ITV cameras and has already been viewed by millions. 

St. Patrick’s Day Irish dancing flashmob video goes viral - VIDEO

St. Patrick's Day: the feast day of Ireland's patron saint, the emblem of Irish culture and religion, and now the subject of one of the most globally shared videos in the month of March, according to marketing magazine Contagious.

The video ad featured a flashmob of Irish dancers and was orchestrated by Discover Ireland to celebrate Irish culture and publicize its tourism industry. A flashmob, for those not in the viral-induced know, is a sudden gathering of a large group of people that, unbeknownst to anyone except the participants, join together in a seemingly impromptu performance.

This particular flashmob garnered more than 200,000 hits on YouTube in its first day; currently the video stands with over 775,000 views and continues to climb. Reactions to the video have been overwhelmingly positive, and an apparent success for the Irish Tourism board which has been vehemently enticing visitors to the Emerald Isle over the past couple of years to combat the nation's fiscal crisis.

The video has not only gained many fans, but it has also poised the Irish tourism board as competition in the world of viral advertising against global giants like Adidas and Volkswagen. The video was produced in hopes of drawing Aussie visitors to Ireland, reversing the trend that has seen thousands of Irish flock to Australia over the past couple of decades.

One person who believes that the video will succeed in doing so is Tourism Ireland's Caroline Brunel who stated "(the video) captured people’s imagination, reminding those who have been to Ireland what amazing and rich culture the country has to offer as well as inspiring people who have never been to discover a unique experience."

No matter what the outcome of the video may be, Brunel makes an interesting point that for an island nation of only five million people, Irish culture surely has a way of making itself global.