Sir, - The purpose of international St Patrick’s Day visits should be cultural-based, with an emphasis on raising awareness of Irish culture. In countries such as the US, UK and Australia, which have large Irish diasporas, the visits should engage those diasporas.
We should engage with the totality of the diaspora and not with a specific political grouping within it. We should try to unite the diaspora around a shared cultural heritage and steer clear of exploiting political divides.
As is common practice with cultural missions, there is usually a trade delegation ready to capitalise on any connections. It is not practical for our cultural visitors to arrive in these countries and to criticise what we don’t like about their government (there is always something to criticise).
Thus, the visit to the US is about encouraging tourism, as well as cultural and trade connections and engaging with the diaspora. It is not about taking political sides.
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Our visit does not imply approval of US policies, rather it reflects our support for the diaspora in that country. There are forums for criticising US domestic and foreign policy, but a St Patrick’s Day visit should not be that forum. Cultural activities should be a politics-free zone. - Yours, etc,
DERMOT COX
Rathfarnham,
Dublin.
