After a whirlwind Friday spent wooing Silicon Valley industry leaders, the Taoiseach spent a more relaxed weekend in San Jose and San Francisco. Mr Ahern went to a race meeting and accepted accolades from Irish-Americans delighted with the prospect of peace in Northern Ireland.
The weekend began on Friday evening with Mr Ahern receiving the Spirit of Ireland award from the City of San Jose during a 3 1/2 hour dinner that featured speeches from local politicians and entertainment that ranged from brave renditions of Danny Boy to a performance from a Riverdance-like dance troupe.
After his day at the races on Saturday, Mr Ahern travelled to San Francisco to review the 147th annual St Patrick's Day Parade yesterday. The event's theme was "Celebrate Peace". Cloudy skies threatened rain, but the parade was scheduled to go on regardless. The holiday is celebrated vigorously in this city, more so than in any other west coast locale.
The Taoiseach's agenda will turn more serious today. He will speak on Northern Ireland to the important Commonwealth Club and World Affairs Council in San Francisco before leaving for Washington DC.
Meanwhile, some 13 Sinn Fein officials are touring the US this week, seeking Irish-American support for the Sinn Fein position on the Belfast Agreement. Led by Mr Gerry Adams, the officials are visiting places as diverse as Savannah, Georgia, Montana, Detroit, Cleveland and Houston, Texas, as well as New York and Washington DC.
