St Patrick’s Day 2010 - Remarks by the Taoiseach at The White House

Posted on 18/03/10 by Brian Cowen

Mr. President,
Mrs. Obama,
Mr. Vice-President,
Distinguished Guests,

I wish to thank you, Mr. President and Mrs. Obama, for your warm and gracious welcome to The White House tonight. 

Mary and I, and all of our delegation, are delighted to be here with you again this year.

I extend to you all our greetings for St. Patrick’s Day.

This occasion is an honour not only for those of us present this evening, but for all Irish people at home and across America. 

We feel very much at home.

We remember tonight that this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the election of President Kennedy, in whose legacy we Irish take great pride.

On one occasion, speaking in your home city of Chicago, John F Kennedy described Ireland’s diaspora as a “fraternal empire”.

He said that: 

“whether we live in Cork or Boston, Chicago or Sydney, we are all members of a great family which is linked together by that strongest of chains – a common past”.

The bonds between Ireland and America run deep in our shared history .

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in every State and corner of America .

It is so pleasing to us that this day has come to be appreciated and enjoyed by all Americans.

The great blending of our people and our history has been shown in all its glory by the group who are entertaining us tonight – the magnificent Keltic Dreams.

Next year, we will be having a special year of celebration of Irish arts and culture here in the United States, so I can assure you that we will have many more artists who will be ready and willing to return here at any time !

I am delighted we are joined here tonight by a great Irish actor, Gabriel Byrne. Gabriel has this week accepted an appointment as Ireland’s first Cultural Ambassador and I wish him well in that endeavour.

And of course, Mr President, when the Irish are finished looking after your entertainment needs, Padraig Harrington, who also joins us tonight, can help you with your golf game.

Mr President,

This year on St Patrick’s Day, we are particularly mindful of the absence of our dear and loyal friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

Ted loved to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and at times like this we miss his enthusiastic presence.

He took great pride in his Irish heritage and he cared deeply about peace on our island.

I know that he would be especially pleased to acknowledge the crucial and decisive step forward taken in recent weeks by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, and all leaders in Northern Ireland.

We congratulate them all on what has been achieved.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, may I say how much we hope to see you, the First Lady and your family, in Ireland soon.

I am sure you will have heard of the great welcome accorded to your predecessors.

Ireland will never forget the historic visit by President Kennedy to his home place in 1963.

If you visit us, I can assure you of an equally warm welcome, especially in Co Offaly, where I have some influence.

I know that you trace your own ancestry back to the place where I have lived all my life.

It is amazing how many O’Hara’s, O’Sullivans and O’Neills are frantically searching to see if they are in any way linked to the O’bama’s.

Mr President,

It is now my great honour to present you with this Bowl of Shamrock. I do so in celebration of the achievements of the Irish in America and of the everlasting friendship between the people of Ireland and the people of the United States of America.

I wish you all Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Phádraig.

A very Happy St Patrick’s Day.