Neither the Taoiseach nor the Tánaiste could have imagined things going so well for them in the first week of their New Government for National Recovery
“HAPPY ST Patrick’s Day!” chortled Darby O’Gilmore, red in the face and beaming as he reeled from the US state department towards the little people.
Recognising familiar faces from the Irish media, the Tánaiste stopped short of dancing a jig on the spot, but only just. After a whirlwind few days in America, he looked fit to burst.
“How long have you been here? I think you’ve all gone native! I’ve had a word with the secretary of state to see if I can get you permanent visas,” he gurgled, laughing his leg off.
Eamon Gilmore had just concluded a cordial meeting with Hillary Clinton, followed by a brief press conference in the elegant Treaty Room of the State Department Building. Among other things, he had filled her in on the steps Ireland’s “New Government for National Recovery” intend to take in relation to rebuilding the economy. New administration, new name. These guys have an eye on history already.
Following his stint in the Big Apple, where he reviewed the St Patrick’s Day parade, Darby O’Gilmore packed away his shillelagh, put on his Foreign Affairs hat and headed for Washington DC to see secretary of state Clinton. She came straight from an overnight flight from Tunisia to meet the Tánaiste.
Despite her gruelling schedule, Hillary looked great. She swept into the room – a commanding presence; authoritative, sharp and totally at ease. She said recently she had been twisting president Barack Obama’s arm to tryto make him visit Ireland. It obviously worked. When his impending trip was mentioned, she smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up sign.
The news from Japan and Libya is depressing. The secretary of state has an awful lot on her plate. But she’s a politician, and there is one thing a politician can’t resist: “At a time of very big challenges . . . this is a very good news story,” she declared, with Happy Gilmore grinning beside her. “This is very good news for everyone.”
Speaking of which, as Darby O’Gilmore was wishing top o’ the mornin’ to Hillary (actually, he isn’t great at the aul’ blarney, that’s more Enda’s department) the Taoiseach was down the road doing the tourist thing and taking a stroll around Capitol Buildings. He was constantly stopped by Irish people who wanted to talk to him. There was such a fuss that others began to ask who he was and suddenly the Irish-Americans wanted a piece of the action.
Neither Enda nor Eamon could have imagined things going so well for them in the first week of their New Government for National Recovery.
Enda, in particular, played his charmed hosts like an old fiddle, hitting all the right notes. Vice-president Biden – much given to beginning his most with the words “there’s an old Irish saying that says . . .” although we’re damned if we ever heard any of them – said that Enda and his wife Fionnuala are two cherished leaves from his four-leaf clover of friends. The other two being Barack and Michelle.
To cap matters, the word from back home was that the public is pleased with how well the Taoiseach and Tánaiste sold their country on this American trip. Then came the added bonus of Obama’s announcement that he intends to visit in May.
“It’s a huge shot in the arm for us as a country,” declared Delighted of Dún Laoghaire from his state department sidewalk. “A huge vote of confidence in Ireland.” He, like everyone else, was hearing reports that confidence has soared back home too. Here in Washington, the Irish-American community is similarly buoyed up by the visits from Kenny and Gilmore and the news from the Oval office. Hotelier John Fitzpatrick, a leading light of the Irish- American community, says he detects a changed mood around New York and Washington and the election of a new Government and Taoiseach is the reason.
“They all love him and he’s done very well in the last couple of days. He got to them with his speeches, and the way he talks about family and children and the future.
“The American politicians are all impressed too. I have to say, Enda seems to know his stuff, and how to communicate with the people over here.”
Oh, but the same Taoiseach was beside himself by the time the bunfight of the annual St Patrick’s night reception in the White House rolled around. On the stage with Fionnuala (who has been a revelation), Barack and Michelle, Inda was in raptures.
“I said to the president and the first lady outside: I know now that miracles do happen — the fountain is green and I’ve arrived in the East Room here in the White House – one week in office: enough to build the world. That’s what the creator had, and if we keep this up Ireland will be great again inside a very short time.” And the crowd cheered.
It’s been standing ovations all the way for the Taoiseach, with speeches tailored for Americian consumption.
(A bit too heavy on the diddley-aye, Mother Ireland and Seamus Heaney for us cynics, but we weren’t his audience.) At the American Ireland fund dinner on Wednesday night, he got particularly folksy and ambled off down an odd alleyway to illustrate how new thinking and a “can do” attitude is the way forward.
He told his audience, at the thousand dollar a plate dinner, of famous Irish-American Mike Roarty and two executives walking around St Stephen’s Green from the Shelbourne Hotel. They passed a beggar who held a card saying “help me, I am blind”. There was no money in his paper cup. So these movers and shakers wondered what they could do to increase his earnings. (Throw him some of your millions, we wondered?) They returned sometime later with a new card for him. “It is springtime and I can see!” Within an hour, he was coining it.
We suspect some of his audience think Enda is a class of poet. But back to St Patrick’s night in the White House. The joint was heaving. Singer Glen Hansard performed a few numbers, including The Auld Triangle, accompanied by Tim Shriver, son of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who produced an actual triangle and proceeded to tinkle it.
There were relatively few guests from Ireland at the bash – unlike in the old days. Enda didn’t arrive with a complement of smirking senators and puffed-up deputies on his coat-tails. We couldn’t spot any developers. But there was a contingent from the GAA, along with actors and musicians. They were there to celebrate the highly successful Imagine Ireland initiative, now in full swing and celebrating Culture Ireland’s year of Irish Arts in America. Garry Hynes of Druid Theatre Company was there – they have an Enda Walsh play festival running at Washington’s Studio Theatre, while Fiach MacConghaill of the Abbey Theatre – they’re performing in Maryland – was also present.
Gerry Adams was signing autographs.
Enda remembered the family, claimed Obama as a proud son of Leinster and declared Ireland open for business. Then worked the room. Michelle gave Fionnuala a bowl of American primroses to plant out in her Mayo garden.
Eamon was unwinding in New York after the parade and preparing for his meeting with Hillary Clinton. Politics doesn’t get any better than this.
Heaven only knows what it was like at Andrews Air Base last evening when the doors closed on the Government jet and the triumphant two – Taoiseach and Tánaiste – had bid adieu to their hosts. Finally alone. Work done.
“Well, Eamon.
“Well, Enda.
“I think that went well.
“I think it did.”
Then they high-fived, chest-bumped and cartwheeled down the aisle to the drinks trolley as the pilot climbed high above cloud nine and took them home.