Taoiseach arrives in Washington DC ahead of St Patrick’s Day
By Rebecca Black, Press Association in Washington DC
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has described being back in Washington DC for St Patrick’s Day as an honour ahead of a number of high-profile engagements with the US administration.
He was cheered at an event at Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States’ residence as he congratulated the Irish rugby team on winning the Six Nations Triple Crown over the weekend.
He joked that he would add his thanks to England for “doing their very, very best to enable us to win the championship,” with reference to their narrow defeat to France, which saw Ireland miss out on the Six Nations title.
Mr Martin arrived in the US capital on Sunday evening following two days in Philadelphia, where he was marking the contribution of Irish people to the building of the country 250 years on from the signing of the Declaration of Independence and taking part in the Pennsylvanian city’s St Patrick’s Day parade.
He also visited Memorial Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, before travelling to Washington DC where he is set to have a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and continue the annual tradition of the Taoiseach presenting the US leader with a bowl of shamrocks to mark St Patrick’s Day.
On Sunday evening, Geraldine Byrne Nason, the Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, formally introduced the Taoiseach to a packed residence, with hundreds of guests, including Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
Ms Byrne Nason hailed the last two days in Philadelphia with Mr Martin, seeing “more of that green thread woven through the great tapestry of the great United States from the very, very beginning”, and the “forever romance between Ireland and the United States”.
“It covers our politics, our culture, our history, our business and, most importantly, our people. That relationship between the United States and Ireland is enduring,” she said.
Mr Martin said celebrating St Patrick’s Day across the Atlantic carries particular resonance as the US marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“For Ireland, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is not simply an American anniversary, it reflects a shared history – Irish men and women were present at the founding of this great Republic. They served in American armies, worked in America’s cities, contributed to its great debates, and helped to inspire its dreams of a brighter tomorrow,” he said.
“The Irish helped to build the railroads, schools, churches, and the very communities that shaped this great nation, from the earliest days to today, Irish hands and Irish hearts have helped to build America.”
He said Ireland’s own journey to independence was “inspired by the very noble ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence”, while in modern times, he said, “America played a decisive role in supporting peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland”.
“The Good Friday Agreement stands as one of the great diplomatic achievements of our shared history, shaped and sustained by American engagement,” he added.
“The story of Ireland and the United States is not static; it is living, it is evolving, it is being written every day by the people in this room, and as we look forward, we do so with confidence, we look to the next great chapter in the enduring bond between Ireland and the United States.”
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows was also among the guests, while First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald, Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLP leader Claire Hanna have said they will not attend events with President Trump in the White House this St Patrick’s Day as part of a stance against his policies, including in the Middle East.
Tanaiste Simon Harris marked Ireland’s national saint’s day by taking part in a parade in London on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons will jointly host a reception with the America250 Commission in the Senate on Wednesday, focusing on the contribution of people from Ulster to the development of the US, describing a “remarkable contribution by people from Ulster in founding the US and shaping its values”.
“For such a small place, we enjoy disproportionate access to the administration in Washington, and we must maximise the opportunity this presents to promote Northern Ireland and our unique history and offering,” he said.
“I look forward to building on established connections and making new ones during my visit, and telling the story of Northern Ireland’s powerful and unique contribution, and our continuing mutually beneficial relationship with the US.”
