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Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Kenny at St. Patrick's Day Reception

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By The White House

East Room

5:47 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! (Applause.) Good evening, everybody.

AUDIENCE: Good evening.

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to St. Patrick’s Week here at the White House — not just today, we get a week.

I want to welcome back our good friend Taoiseach Kenny and his wonderful wife Fionnuala. We are so glad that they are here, and we want to thank them for bringing some genuine Irish shamrocks. I want to say a special thanks to Michael Collins, who has done such an outstanding job here as the Irish Ambassador to the United States. This is his last St. Patrick’s Day in America before heading to Germany, so we want to wish him and his lovely wife all the best. (Applause.)

I also want to welcome First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland, who are with us here today. And as I said earlier, I am very much looking forward to visiting Northern Ireland for the G8 Summit in June. (Applause.)

We have way too many Irish and Irish American and wannabe Irish Americans in the house for me to name — (laughter) — but I will say that the next four years are shaping up to be very green ones here in the White House. (Applause.) My new Chief of Staff is a McDonough. My National Security Advisor is a Donilon. Our new CIA Director is a Brennan. My new head speech writer is a Keenan. And Joe Biden has very kindly agreed to stay on as Irishman-in-Chief. (Laughter.)

Joe couldn’t be here tonight because he is on his way back from the installation of Pope Francis in Rome. For those of you who know Joe, literally the only thing that could keep him away from St. Patrick’s Day at the White House is the installation of a new Pope. (Laughter.) So he sends his best.

Ever since the first son or daughter of the Emerald Isle set foot here on American soil, this day has served as a reminder of just how many threads of green are woven into the red, white, and blue. And in times of war and peace, good times and bad, Americans have always found a way to celebrate that heritage.

During the Civil War, a quartermaster for the Irish Brigade was sent to Washington to secure a St. Patrick’s Day dinner consisting of a side of roasted ox, a pig stuffed with boiled turkeys and 35 hams. And even during the Great Depression, when food was scarce and families were struggling, a judge in New York informed the district attorney that he would not try any cases on St. Patrick’s Day in which the defendant or …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland at a St. Patrick's Day Luncheon

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By The White House

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

1:05 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Please, everybody, have a seat.

To our host, Speaker Boehner, to the distinguished members of the House and the Senate, thank you all for having me here today. Obviously, we are thrilled to have the Taoiseach back, and his lovely wife and his delegation.

But before I begin, I just want to say a few words about a tragic accident in Nevada that took the lives of seven U.S. servicemembers and wounded several others yesterday. All of us share our thoughts and prayers with their families. And I think this should serve as a reminder that even as we’re able to gather today in tradition and in friendship, it’s the extraordinary and enduring sacrifice of our men and women in uniform that make this possible, and the sacrifices that their families make as well. And all Americans stand united in grateful support of all that they do.

Now, I know I speak for everyone when I say we’re pleased to welcome Taoiseach Kenny and his wife, Fionnuala, back to Washington. They are just wonderful friends. I also want to welcome First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness from Northern Ireland. Where are Peter and Martin? There they are right here. (Applause.)

We spend the whole year trying to bring this town together, and these leaders are able to do it in a single afternoon. They even get us to dress alike. (Laughter.) So my question is how long can you stay? (Laughter.) Because we’ve got some budget discussions coming up. Perhaps you can be helpful.

Now, even though most of the debate in Congress on this day is about who is more Irish than whom, that doesn't make it any less heated. But no matter how much green is in your family tree, remember that Speaker Boehner is part-Irish and spent much of his childhood surrounded by characters in his father’s bar, so the rest of us are probably playing for second place in this contest.

I will say that after visiting my ancestral hometown of Moneygall two years ago, I’ve now seen the official Irish records proving my Irish heritage on my mother’s side. I thought that would come in handy more often, but it turns out that on St. Patrick’s Day, people just take your word for it. (Laughter.) I’m keeping all my records. (Laughter.) Just in case. (Laughter.)

The truth is we have plenty of Irishmen and women here today, but not just today, here every day. They represent the latest in the long line of sons and daughters of Erin who have walked the halls of Congress and who’ve occupied the Oval Office. To adapt an old saying, the curse of the Irish is not that they don't have an opinion about anything, it’s that …read more
Source: White House Press Office