So the political leader of Ireland, Taoiseach Enda Kenny travelled to Washington this week in what’s become a traditional diplomatic mission, where the residing Taoiseach gifts the President of America with a large bowl of shamrock on St Patrick's Day, before discussing the issues around Irish immigrants and having a quick chat about the ongoing peace process in Northern Ireland. Why the President of America needs a large bowl of Shamrock I’m not sure, but it must be something to do with invading a country in the middle east or else he would just throw it out, or request something more useful like a bowl of cornflakes or uranium.
Enda Kenny made the trip on the back of some outrageous comments made by the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, in which he associated the Irish people with the old stereotype that we’re a degenerate culture of drunks and insinuated that we merely participate in the backdrop of a society run by a higher order, commenting;
‘It’s been said of us that the English made the laws, the Scots made the money and the Irish made the songs’.
So instead of focusing on the Irish immigrants in America, Enda Kenny has been busy defending visa hungry Irish in Australia against patronising comments made by their Prime Minister, who’s view of a rush of talented young Irish people into his country in the last number of years has been summed up as a great opportunity to have ‘a Guiness or two or maybe even three’, without any acknowledgment of the contribution the young Irish people are making to the Australian economy.
Enda Kenny made the trip on the back of some outrageous comments made by the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, in which he associated the Irish people with the old stereotype that we’re a degenerate culture of drunks and insinuated that we merely participate in the backdrop of a society run by a higher order, commenting;
‘It’s been said of us that the English made the laws, the Scots made the money and the Irish made the songs’.
So instead of focusing on the Irish immigrants in America, Enda Kenny has been busy defending visa hungry Irish in Australia against patronising comments made by their Prime Minister, who’s view of a rush of talented young Irish people into his country in the last number of years has been summed up as a great opportunity to have ‘a Guiness or two or maybe even three’, without any acknowledgment of the contribution the young Irish people are making to the Australian economy.
But the international incidents didn’t end there; US vice president Joe Biden welcomed Enda Kenny to his residence earlier today with the comment:
"Anyone wearing orange is not welcome in here--only joking."
How does a man like Joe Biden continue to make comments which show a complete lack of diplomacy, to openly disrespect the fundamental values of the Irish flag, a symbol of peace and unity between Gaelic (green) Ireland and the plantation Irish or followers of William of Orange.
St Patrick’s day is not a day for green Irish, it’s a day for all Irish, green and orange, north and south. It’s a day for peace, to celebrate culture, and to reflect on what it means to be Irish whether you’re in Australia, America, Armagh, or Achil island.
I hope to see plenty of green and orange flying later and wish everyone reading this a Happy St Patrick’s Day.
"Anyone wearing orange is not welcome in here--only joking."
How does a man like Joe Biden continue to make comments which show a complete lack of diplomacy, to openly disrespect the fundamental values of the Irish flag, a symbol of peace and unity between Gaelic (green) Ireland and the plantation Irish or followers of William of Orange.
St Patrick’s day is not a day for green Irish, it’s a day for all Irish, green and orange, north and south. It’s a day for peace, to celebrate culture, and to reflect on what it means to be Irish whether you’re in Australia, America, Armagh, or Achil island.
I hope to see plenty of green and orange flying later and wish everyone reading this a Happy St Patrick’s Day.
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