NOT since President de Valera in 1964 had an Irish head of state been given the full Washington treatment.
For Mary Robinson 32 years later, the sun blazed at Fort Myer high over the Potomac, the red jacketed "President's Own" US Marines Band played A Soldier's Song, hundreds of proud Irish American parents and children waved Tricolours and Bill Clinton could not conceal his admiration for her.
There was no room on the South Lawn of the White House for the ceremony because the marquee for the gala dinner later that night took up too much room.
President Clinton and wife, Hillary, arrived first. The First Lady was in a straw hat and a cool mint green suit which almost clashed with the lime green one of Kristi Spring who was waiting with her husband, Dick, once a student barman in New York and now about to take over the presidency of the EU.
After the trumpeters played the Clintons in with Hail to the Chief, the Robinsons arrived. President Robinson was bare beaded and wearing a violet and green foral light dress which billowed around the rostrum in the warm breeze when she spoke.
But first President Clinton greeted her with a flawless "cead mile failte" which drew cheers from the ranks of the Irish Americans. Then it was off to inspect the ranks of guard of honour drawn from the army, marines, navy, air force and coast guard, the two presidents striding across the greensward of Summerall Field to the rousing march tunes.
The presidential spouses, Hillary and Nicholas, stood a respectful distance from the podium during the welcoming speeches.
Peter Sutherland was with the VIPs as a "special guest" of the President.
Bill Clinton spoke nostalgically about the rave receptions he got in Belfast, Derry and on "Dublin's Green" and pledged US support for the peace process.
Mary Robinson, who first came to Harvard in the 1960s as a young law student, enthused about Irish American relations and told the President: "I feel at home".
Then the presidential cavalcade was piped away by a colonial style file and drum band. There was a brief stop to admire a stunning view towards Washington and its great monuments and then it was on to the White House and the honours of the Oval Office to be followed by those of the State Department and Capitol Hill.
A long way from the classrooms of Harvard. And the bars of New York.