Some 1,500 eager fans queued outside Eason's in Dublin this morning for a book signing with former US president Mr Bill Clinton.
Mr Clinton arrived shortly before 9.30 a.m amid tight security and to the cheers of people who lined Middle Abbey Street waiting to catch a glimpse of him from outside.
As he entered the shop, the former president broke rank from his security guards to shake hands with staff. "It is absolutely wonderful to be back here in Ireland," he said. "I love it here."
He was signing copies of his autobiography, My Life. Easons ordered more than 2,000 copies of the autobiography, which customers bought in the store before having them signed.
Mr Clinton during this morning's book signing. Photograph: Patrick Logue
Around 80 people queued throughout the night to have their copies of the book signed but most braved the early morning rain and the crowd swelled from 6 a.m.
Mayo woman Ms Martha Dalton, who lives in Dublin, joined the queue at 3.30 a.m. "I came straight from the pub," she told ireland.com. "It was fabulous, brilliant, an absolute honour to meet him. I'm really glad I came, it was well worth with."
Mr Stephen Doherty from Clondalkin said the former US president told him he was enjoying his stay in Ireland. "I met him before when I was living in Oxford when he addressed the Oxford Union."
"I'm an admirer of his political life and his mannerisms, he's a people's person, which is a rare quality we don't see in leaders.
"I was here at quarter to five this morning, so I had an early start, I'm off to work now and I'm working until 11 o'clock tonight." Mr Doherty has also gathered signed copies of books of other notorieties including George Best, Chris Eubank, Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela.
Ms Joan Ryan from Tallaght started queueing at 5.00 a.m. and said the experience was "better than I had expected".
"He was very pleasant and he shook hands with me, I won't wash the hand now at all. He just said he was pleased to meet me. He didn't spend long with me, he isn't spending long with anybody he has so many books to sign."
"I'll go home and read it now straight away, make a start."
Mr Clinton was surrounded by security staff throughout the signing and those entering Eason's were required to pass through metal detectors.
Eason's general manager, Mr Martin Black, said the signing had been the biggest event ever held at the shop, outdoing previous records set by Roy Keane and David Beckham.
"Mr Clinton eclipsed everyone," he said. "Selling that many hardback books worth €30 has broken all records. We have never experienced anything like it."
Mr Clinton and his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton, will dine at Farmleigh House tonight at a dinner hosted by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern. Several members of the Cabinet are also expected to attend.
The couple flew into Dublin Airport last night and were brought by gardaí to the Clarence Hotel.
The couple are scheduled to go to Northern Ireland tomorrow morning. Mr Clinton has another book-signing in Belfast while his wife will be giving a speech in Derry.
My Life, which was published in June, was at the top of the Irish best-seller list for four weeks and remains within the top five.
