Taoiseach Micheál Martin quoted Iish patriot Robert Emmet to those gathered for the VP breakfast a short while ago ahead of his Oval Office face-to-face with Donald Trump.
“Just one mile from where we sit this morning is Robert Emmet Memorial Park, named in honour of the Irish patriot who led a rebellion against the British in 1803. In a famous speech from the dock before he was put to death, he declared: ‘I wish to procure for my country the guarantee which Washington procured for America,'” Mr Martin ttold those in attendance.
He said the ideals of American liberty “fired the imaginations of Ireland’s determined patriots”, referencing the 1916 proclamation which spoke of support for the Irish cause of freedom from the “exiled children in America.”
“And those exiled children, time and time again, have proved both their loyalty to America and their enduring links to their ancestral homeland.”
“Here, in the Naval Observatory, it is fitting to recall the contribution of Commodore John Barry,” the Taoiseach said in his opening remarks, paying tribute to the Wexford-born Commodore who became the first captain commissioned by Congress and was known as the “father of the US navy”.
The Taoiseach also referenced General Stephen Moylan from his home County Cork, who first penned the term “United States of America”, and John Dunlap from County Tyrone, who printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence.
As the US celebrates 250 years since its foundation, Mr Martin said “Ireland’s sons and daughters sought to repay the gift of opportunity through service to their new homeland.
“Irish workers helped craft the skylines of America’s great cities and fortify the fabric of communities across the land.
“Immigrants from my home county of Cork moved to Ohio, where they built the roads, canals and railways which literally laid the foundations of American greatness.
“The Scots-Irish who mostly came to Pennsylvania and the Appalachians – an area very close to your heart – brought not only their strong work ethic, but also fiddle tunes, which melded with the African-American banjo, to gift the world bluegrass.”
The “exiled children”, he said, includes 23 president who claimed Irish heritage, once again referencing that Ireland is now the fifth largest foreign investor in the USA and that 200,000 Americans “every morning” go to work in almost 800 Irish-owned firms.
“The US-Ireland economic relationship powers the technologies that will define the 21st century and underpin growth in our economies. Irish companies are pivotal partners in your drive to lead the global AI revolution. In neighbouring Virginia, Irish companies such as CEL Critical Power are providing solutions and support for unprecedented energy demand,” Mr Martin said.
Wtih Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison sat nearby, Mr Martin said the company was “enabling the growth of everything from start-ups to major multinationals.”
Speaking throughout in patriotic tones, the Fianna Fáil leader told the breakfast that “just as Ireland has been at the centre of the American story, so the United States helped forge the country I call home.
“The story of peace on the island of Ireland is one we crafted together. America’s unwavering support, over decades and from both sides of the aisle, made this possible. At the darkest and bleakest of times, you – all of you in this room – kept the faith,” he said, in reference to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
“As I close, Mr Vice President, allow me to thank you and the Second Lady once again for opening your home to us.
“Vice President, they say a week is a long time in politics, but one of the greatest Irish writers, James Joyce, laid bare so much about the human soul in just one day.
“And above all, his book Ulysses is, of course, a journey – a journey through Dublin, a journey into the meaning that can be found in the everyday, and, at some level a journey home.
As we continue our own journeys, I am pleased to present you with a special edition of this masterpiece,” Mr Martin said, having only recently presented a copy of James Joyce’s masterpiece to Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit in January.
“It is our hope that literary token of Dublin recalls happy memories of your and Usha’s road-trip around Ireland – and encourages you and your growing family to make a return journey in the not too distant future,” he said, offering congratulations to the vice-president and his wife Usha, who are expecting their fourth child.
“is clear that the threads across the Atlantic that are woven through the rich tapestry of the United States remain strong.
“Those threads connect Wexford to Washington; my hometown of Cork to yours in Ohio; and they connect generations past with those to come.
“Wishing you and all those present a very happy St Patrick’s Day – Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh.”
Cónal Thomas