White House Shamrock Ceremony Remarks by Taoiseach Micheál Martin

President Trump, distinguished guests, it is a singular honour to represent the people of Ireland as we gather to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

The time-honoured tradition of the Shamrock Bowl ceremony is an important moment to reflect upon the relationship between our two countries.

Mr. President, as you said on an earlier St. Patrick’s Day: “through trial and triumph, ups and downs, thick and thin, the extraordinary Irish people have stood by America’s side, and America will always stand by theirs.” 

Our peoples have stood side by side for a long time. Next year, the United States marks the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Of the fifty-six signatories of that historic document, three were born on the island of Ireland and many others were of Irish descent.

Since then, Irish-America has been at the heart of shaping this great nation.

The ideals of liberty, democracy, and equality of opportunity forged in this country did much to inspire Irish independence.

Our histories are interconnected because our people are interconnected. Today, more than 30 million people claim Irish ancestry in the United States.

Those who came to America, seeking refuge from poverty and hunger at home, worked hard. They helped build the railroads that connected this country, and the skylines that defined it.

Others served their communities and their adopted home as firefighters, teachers, nurses, doctors, policemen, and soldiers.

Irish people can now be found in almost every industry and community across the United States.

Mr. President, Irish Americans have lived the American dream.

I saw that for myself earlier this week in the great State of Texas where I met Governor Greg Abbott, attended South by South-West and learned about exciting economic opportunities that abound in the Lone Star State.

I met with Texas based companies using Ireland as a gateway into the European market, as well as the Irish companies investing in - and buying from Texas.

All across the United States, men and women go to work every morning in Irish-owned companies. Those companies play a key role in the US economy, operating in every sector, in every State.

Some of your great American manufacturing companies count Irish buyers as their top client, with order books worth many billions of dollars– supporting the jobs of hundreds of thousands of fantastic American workers

Ireland is now in the top ten as a source of foreign direct investment in the US – not bad for a small island.

Ireland likes to trade with the US and the US likes to do business with Ireland because we are strong and reliable partners.

Mr President, let’s do even more and better together.

In the past, Irish labourers came to help build the new Republic, the beacon on the hill. They even built this beautiful White House. They built the roads and the railroads that made this mighty Union possible.

Today Irish companies are building the infrastructure connecting the United Sates in the 21^st century.

Throughout our great shared history, Ireland has played a role in bringing America closer.

In doing so, we have been proud to help make this country great.

Mr. President, American companies continue to invest in Ireland, where our access to the European market, talented workforce, and consistent and stable business environment makes us one of the best places in the world to do business.

Just like our peoples and cultures, our economies are deeply inter-connected. Investment in Ireland helps American companies sell their products across the world.

And that makes American companies stronger at home, creating jobs and prosperity across this great nation.

Our island is home to a people with an outward perspective, generations of whom have looked to the US for opportunity and inspiration.

We’ve built prosperity through free and fair trade with partners all over the world, and particularly here in these United States.

Let us continue to build on that foundation, bringing ever-growing prosperity to both our great peoples.

Let us continue to work together to make sure that we maintain that mutually beneficial two-way economic relationship that has allowed innovation and creativity and prosperity to thrive.

Mr. President, on St Patrick’s Day in 1981, in this House, President Ronald Regan spoke of a “just and peaceful solution” to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

That was the start of an extraordinary journey.

Seventeen years later, after enormous effort and commitment and dialogue and disagreement and sheer perseverance, we signed the Good Friday Agreement. We signed a just and lasting peace into being.

And the United States of America was at the very centre of that magical moment of hope and inspiration.

Successive Presidents, Republican and Democrat, cared enough to put in the late nights, the persuading, the cajoling, the negotiating, the encouraging, the influencing.

Mr. President, 3,720 people were killed in the Troubles. 47,541 people were injured.

In population terms, that’s the equivalent of 11 million Americans. Just imagine that for a moment.

It was the support of the United States of America that was essential in bringing that to an end; one of the greatest achievements of American foreign policy, with heartfelt commitment from both sides of the aisle.

The story of peace in Ireland is one we wrote together.

We know building peace is a difficult and pain-staking task, but when the mighty United States of America puts its shoulder to the wheel there is no mountain it cannot move.

Mr President,

I welcome the focus and energy you have brought to the search for peace – whether in Ukraine or the Middle East – since your first days in office.

Ireland is ready to work with you and our international partners to end conflict and especially to bring just, lasting and sustainable peace to the people of Ukraine and the people of the Middle East.

Conflict and war hurt the most vulnerable. Thousands of children in particular have died in Gaza or have been abducted in Ukraine.

Let us together never cease to strive for peace, prosperity and opportunity for all the world’s children.

That would be an extraordinary achievement for the transatlantic relationship, and an extraordinary legacy for the ages.

Mr. President,

Co Clare is one of the most beautiful places on this earth, and Doonbeg is one of its finest jewels.

One of Ireland’s finest poets – and we have had a few as you know - wrote of the beauty of “County Clare, along the Flaggy Shore, In September or October, when the wind, And the light are working off each other”.

And Heaney wrote of how Ireland “can catch the heart off guard and blow it open.”

I have been to that part of Clare, and I know that it is true.

Mr President,

I hope that we can welcome you to Ireland soon, to ‘catch your own heart off guard’.

You know better than anyone the beauty of Doonbeg, a place that would take anyone’s breath away.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir.

Thank you very much, and happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all.