Joe Biden’s cousin Rob Kearney has congratulated the incoming US President on his imminent victory.
The Irish rugby legend tweeted: “Congrats to you Mr President,” with a tears laughing emoji.
Mr Kearney was returning the favour after Mr Biden sent his best wishes to Rob after Ireland beat the All Blacks on the rugby pitch four years ago - and he retweeted that congratulatory tweet too.
Mr Biden, who was then the US Vice President, tweeted: “Congrats to cousin @KearneyRob on @IrishRygby’s 1st win over 111 years. History made again in Chicago.
Mr Kearney played a starring role on that historic day when Ireland beat New Zealand in Soldiers’ Field in Chicago.
The other bit of history Mr Biden was referring to was the election of Chicago’s own Barack Obama, the USA’s first African American president - he actually won two presidential terms.
Mr Kearney is also believed to have gotten a follow-up congratulatory phone call from Mr Biden.
And when Joe Biden visited Ireland as Vice President, Rob, and his brother David, also a rugby international, were at the State reception in Farmleigh House.
The Irish4Biden support group coordinator, Paul ALlen, told the Irish Mirror a little more about the incoming US President’s links to his Irish cousins, the Kearneys, and others.
Mr Allen said: “Joe Biden’s links to Ireland are deep, and steeped in the history of Co Louth and the story of the Irish in America.
“His mother’s family name is Finnegan, who hailed from the Cooley peninsula (which is where Rob Kearney’s family is from).
“Joe’s mother, Jean Finnegan, was born in the US to Ambrose Finnegan and Geraldine Blewitt.
“Ambrose’s father, James Finnegan, arrived in New York on the SS Marchioness of Bute in 1850 with his mother and two younger brothers when he was seven years old.
“James’ father was a 24-year-old shoemaker called Owen Finnegan, who had arrived a year earlier on board the SS Isaac Wright.
“James Finnegan later married Catherine Roche, whose parents Thomas and Bridget Roche were also born in Ireland.
“All eight of Joe’s great great-grandparents on his mother’s side were born in Ireland in the early 1800s.
“Two of his great-grandparents on his father’s side were also born in Ireland.
“In total, 10 of Joe’s 16 great great grandparents were born in Ireland.”
