Enda Kenny denies plagiarizing Barack Obama speech from 2008

Kenny’s people believe imitation really is the biggest form of flattery

KATE HICKEY,

IrishCentral Editor

Published Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 1:56 PM

Updated Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 11:37 AM

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Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny making his speech at College Green on Monday

Photo by PA

PHOTOS - President Obama's trip to Ireland - photo gallery

On Monday evening Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny made a speech introducing President Barack Obama to the 25,000-strong crowd at Dublin’s College Green. As rousing as his speech was it seems that it was remarkably like a speech made by Obama back in 2008.

The first few lines of Kenny’s speech were almost exactly the same as the opening lines of a speech made by Obama at a rally in Grant Park, Chicago on the night he won the Presidential Elections.

In 2008 Obama said:

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

On Monday evening Kenny said:

“If there’s anyone out there who still doubts that Ireland is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our ancestors is alive in our time, who still questions our capacity to restore ourselves, reinvent ourselves and prosper, today is your answer.”

Apparently Kenny’s speechwriter had intended to make reference to Obama’s speech, however, they forgot to tell anybody.

Speaking on behalf of Kenny a spokesperson said “I think what the Taoiseach was doing was drawing on a very well-known speech by Barack Obama and just putting it into an Irish context and an Irish setting…There was no plagiarism, he was just drawing on it.”

However others have pointed out that 36 of the 48 works in Kenny’s introduction were the same are Obama’s address.

In fact, 36 of Mr Kenny's first 48 words were exactly the same as the earlier address by Obama. The massive crowd greeted Kenny’s seven-minute address with applause and cheers.

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FULL TEXT - President Obama's speech to crowd in Dublin's College Green

PHOTOS: President Obama's trip to Ireland

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Maureen Dowd (New York Times); Obama happier in Ireland than anywhere else

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kinvara7 | May 25, 2011, 07:11 AM EDT

How on earth did this become a story? It should be obvious to anyone that the similarity was intended. The words are drawn from a famous speech, so to think that Kenny's speech writer was trying to pull a fast one without anyone noticing is foolish. The words were a tribute to Obama and re-shaped for an Irish context. To be fair to Kenny he delivered it well and it was a fine speech: 'we tell the world of our unique, untouchable wealth. Wealth that can never be accumulated in banks or measured by the markets or traded on the stock exchange. Because it remains intact and alive deep inside our people. In the heart-stopping beauty of our country. In the transforming currency of the Irish heart, imagination and soul.'

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pilib04 | May 24, 2011, 06:06 PM EDT

I'm sure Obama didn't care. Besides, what do you expect from a Blueshirt?

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badolan | May 24, 2011, 05:13 PM EDT

I doubt Obama cares. He is a bigger man than that. They both have speech writers. No big deal. I am just so happy for Ireland that the trip was so successful. It was all over the news here.

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