As the Taoiseach noted, the president carries the burden of White House traditions very lightly
AMONG WHITE House traditions handed down to the Obamas, the Presentation of the Shamrock is right up there with the Turkey Pardon, Christmas Tree Lighting and Easter Egg Roll.
“President Obama carries these burdens very lightly,” Brian Cowen had confided to us earlier in the day, on leaving the Oval Office. Both leaders are beset with so many political and economic problems that it was cheering to see them in top form on Wednesday night at the Irish-American love fest in the East Room of the White House.
In the afternoon, there’d been some heady, cinematographic moments as the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin walked down the steps of the Capitol building, flanked by Mr Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Richie Neal, chairman of Friends of Ireland.
Air Force pipers in full Celtic regalia serenaded the phalanx, against a backdrop of white marble and blue sky.
Mr Obama touched Mr Cowen on the shoulder, patted Mr Martin on the arm, gave them a jaunty wave and stepped into his black armoured stretch limo.
And here our heroes were again, a few hours later, still wearing their green neckties, still giddy with friendship and good humour. Little matter that the White House usher introduced Mr Brian Cohen, that Mr Obama quoted “Joe Biden’s favourite poet, Seamus Haynee” to explain how “cool” and “chic” it was to be Irish. If something was lost in translation, America added its own little flourish, like the African-American girls of “Keltic Dream” who danced a stupendous White House céilí, imbued with Bronx attitude.
Mr Obama greeted an Irish-American supreme court justice, cabinet ministers and “a few dozen members of Congress, including three or four Murphys”.
It was “obviously impressive for a small island” to have created a diaspora of 70 million, he said. “And it’s even more impressive that they all find their way to America for St Patrick’s Day,” the president joked. He was allowed to say such things, “as somebody of Irish heritage”.
From time to time, the president read his prepared speech, paying tribute to the Irish who “carved out a place for themselves in our nation’s story – America and Ireland, our brawn and our blood, side by side, in the making of this nation; pulling it westward, pushing it skyward, moving it forward”.
Mr Obama teased the Irish-Americans who today are “free to argue openly and proudly about who is more Irish than whom,” reminded us of the time when signs said “No Irish Need Apply,” and rejoiced in the fact that “half a century ago this year, John F Kennedy walked through the doors of this house as the first Irish Catholic President of the United States”.
The Taoiseach almost had them rolling in the aisles between the green tables laden with green flowers and green candles. “I intend reading my own speech tonight,” he started. (Last year, he accidentally began reading Obama’s speech from the teleprompter).
Thanking the “great Irishman, Joe Biden” for breakfast, Mr Cowen used the word “wonderful” three times. He extended “greetings from the home sod” and offered Mr Obama the services of Pádraig Harrington as a golf coach.
Vice-president Joe Biden managed to tell two Irish proverbs, quote WB Yeats and commit a gaffe in the space of a few minutes. The Taoiseach knew a lot about Irish America, Mr Biden said. “His mom lived in Long Island for 10 years or so – God rest her soul – and although, wait, your mom is still alive, it’s your dad passed. God bless her soul . . . I got to get this straight.”
Citing his Grandfather Finnegan – “A silent mouth is sweet to hear” – Mr Biden turned the ceremony over to Mr Obama.
