Plans for the St Patrick's Day exodus are under way and Ministers are being sent around the globe to wave the green flag, charm the locals and promote peace, business, investment and friendship. Bertie Ahern will be in Washington to present the shamrock to George Bush; Mary Harney goes to Edinburgh; Brian Cowen is off to Australia, as is John O'Donoghue; Dermot Ahern goes to Buenos Aires; Joe Walsh will be in Paris; Micheal Martin in New York; Noel Dempsey in San Francisco; Frank Fahey in South Africa; Michael Smith will be with our troops in Lebanon and later in Prague; Martin Cullen goes to Beijing; Mary Hanafin to Toronto; Liz O'Donnell to Boston; Bobby Molloy to Philadelphia; Dan Wallace to Texas, while David Andrews, who is no longer a Minister, goes to Los Angeles.
Charlie McCreevy and James McDaid are looking forward to their annual jaunt to Cheltenham the previous week, where there will be great excitement as the Dail horse, Arctic Copper, faces its biggest challenge yet. McDaid, who will be reviewing the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, is a shareholder but not McCreevy. Of course, Cheltenham might not be on at all. If the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain is not quickly contained, the movement of all livestock will be prohibited and thousands of Irish will be staying at home.