New efforts are being made to haul controversial US Ireland Alliance chief Trina Vargo before the Irish parliament in Dublin.
Furious Kerry senator Mark Daly had demanded Vargo be quizzed by the Irish authorities after her recent attack on Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
Vargo accused Kenny of ‘embarrassing’ Ireland by presenting ‘shamrockery’ gifts to US President Barack Obama at the White House.
Vargo was particularly critical of Kenny’s decision to present President Obama with a Certificate of Irishness during their St Patrick’s Day meeting.
Just last week Vargo posted an online blog questioning the presentation of the certificate and described it as ‘lamentable shamrockery’.
Fianna Fail senator Daly responded by slamming her comments and called on Vargo to apologise to Kenny.
The Kerryman also asked that she should be called to Dublin to report on her organisation’s ‘value for money’ in relation to the funding it receives from the Irish parliament’s Committee on Education.
Now the Irish Examiner reports that the row between the pair has escalated after Vargo wrote in her blog that: “The Department of Foreign Affairs will use even their own Taoiseach to flog those things. The shop in Shannon Airport must have been out of leprechaun dolls and chunks of the auld sod.
Guess who will be off the Irish Embassy guest list, again!)
“The Taoiseach joked that the certificate is ‘rare’ - that’s because no one wants them. I know the country’s saving money, but I’m sure one of Ireland’s great writers would have been only to happy to sign a book for the President.
“Irish America can be just as bad. During this week it is always people from Ireland and Northern Ireland who tell me how horrified they are by the shamrockery, and they’re right, it’s embarrassing.”
Daly accused Vargo of Irish-American bashing in response.
He said: “Ms Vargo, for all her political experience, seems to have nothing good to say about virtually anyone in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland or the Irish American Community.
“Ms Vargo should issue an apology. One would have to wonder what was behind this recent outburst.”
The Irish Examiner reports that Vargo then issued a ‘fiery response’ to the Kerry senator in which she stated that Irish Government funds have not been spent on the Mitchell Scholarship programme for more than a decade.
She also pointed out that audit reports from her organisation are regularly sent to the Department of Education in Ireland.
“I find it disturbing that you suggest that my job is to only wear the green jersey,” she added. “I am apparently allowed to praise Ireland and promote Ireland, but never criticise it.
“This demand that people keep quiet and never raise questions is one reason Ireland is in the situation it now finds itself.
“I created the US-Ireland Alliance as the antidote to the shamrocks and leprechaun nonsense, and I have no intention of apologising for that.
“There is a rightful place for sentimentality, but it will not help contribute to the cultural, economic, and political wellbeing of our two countries.”
Daly told the paper that seven members of the Irish parliament, from across the political divide, have now signed a letter requesting Vargo to present the Foreign Affairs Committee with a ‘value for money’ report on her organisation.
Vargo replied that she does not expect to be asked to appear before the committee.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.irishamerica46 | Apr 05, 2012, 07:57 PM EDT
If one doesn't enjoy seeing animals poisoned or children sickened from toxic materials.then call me a racist. Check the facts about imports from China before you make idiotic statements.You did mention American accents as having to disappear before one is accepted as Irish.All these ridiculous rants sound like discrimination to me. This is a big waste of time!
STEVENSTAR | Apr 05, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT
@@@@@@irishamerica46 | Apr 03, 2012, 07:28 PM EDT I have family in Ireland and they are wonderful and don't dislike Americans.None of their friends seem to hate America either. My ancestors left during the famine to save their families. How did your family survive? Usually people who spew hate are very insecure and lack self esteem. When the products from China arrive, make sure they don't poison your pets and then check the children's jewelry to make sure it's not toxic. Many toxic even radioactive junk has come from China to the States. Check it out.Enjoy!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ARE YOU SURE ? IM IRISH I LIVB HERE AND BELIEVE ME AMERICANS ARE NOT AS LIKED OVER HERE AS YOU'D LIKE TO BELIEVE .. ITS THE BULLSHIT THEY GO ON WITH IS WHAT ANNOYS US MOST AND THE HUGE CULTURE DIFFERENCE ...
ciaradexy | Apr 04, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT
I just noticed that youre mocking the Chinese in a post beneath. Are you a racist?
ciaradexy | Apr 04, 2012, 05:01 PM EDT
Yes I do travel. I have travelled extensively. Australia, NZ, the US, Borneo, Malaysia and all over Europe and yes, I am a foreigner in these countries and Im sure they love my money too when I spend it in their country. Where did I say I dislike America or Americans? I didnt now, did I?
irishamerica46 | Apr 04, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT
ciaradexy, do you ever travel? Where? I'm sure you're just another foreigner to the natives of that particular country who really dislike you but love your money!
ciaradexy | Apr 04, 2012, 02:30 PM EDT
IrelandNorth, you should stay North. You can give all those Americans British passports and they can stay up there with you. If i want to be surrounded by Americans, Id move to America. Im happy being surrounded by my friends and family here. Madeline, you have an American accent yeah? You'll never be accepted as Irish till thats gone love! You'll just be another foreigner who owns a place in Ireland.
IrelandNorth | Apr 04, 2012, 07:26 AM EDT
A bit rich for a senator of a party that presided over the virtual bankruptcy of the Irish state during 15 years of Me-Fein misrule. Look for you your comeback sound bite elsewhere - Daly! Your party has Failed the real Fianna, and is thankfully being replaced by Sinn Fein: The Real Republican Party. Anti Irish-American sentiment on this site is primarily coming from Ulster-Scot Billy Boys up north engaging in black propaganda. Or snobbish young middle-class ingrate West-Brit/Free Staters in the 26 counties. Irish-Americans! Ignore the pro-Brit bourgeois malcontents on line. Us proud Gaels recognise you as the crucible of Irish-Nationalism/Republicanism. Please come back to the land of your forefathers. Citizenship for all Irish-Americans NOW - Higgins/Kenny/Shatter!
borefield | Apr 03, 2012, 08:33 PM EDT
I'm with Marywithers, Trina Vargas should be removed from the Alliance, she obviously is not the right person for that position. Her professional skills are poor to say the least, her ethics wanting. Let's get a petition going.
irishamerica46 | Apr 03, 2012, 07:28 PM EDT
I have family in Ireland and they are wonderful and don't dislike Americans.None of their friends seem to hate America either. My ancestors left during the famine to save their families. How did your family survive? Usually people who spew hate are very insecure and lack self esteem. When the products from China arrive, make sure they don't poison your pets and then check the children's jewelry to make sure it's not toxic. Many toxic even radioactive junk has come from China to the States. Check it out.Enjoy!
STEVENSTAR | Apr 03, 2012, 04:28 PM EDT
@@@@abbym7180 | Apr 02, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT you know steven, i appreciate your thought but lose the only if your from ireland you irish schtick. You can be american and have roots that go back over a hundred years from when our families emmigrated from your beautiful country. We love our ancestoral homeland as much as our current one. I'm sorry you seem appauled that we exist,but we do, if our families weren't starving to death at the time we'd still be in ireland.But don't believe vargo,she has no right to say what she does.Ok. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BUT WHY ? WE IRISH JUST DONT GET YOUR FACINATION WITH A SMALL ISLAND OF 4,5 MILLION IRISH ... IS AMERICA NOT THAT GREAT ? I THINK ITS GREAT YOU APPRECIATE YOUR ROOTS BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO BE PROUD TO BE AMERICAN .. I BET MOST IRISH AMERICANS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO IRELAND AND WHEN YOU DO COME YOU CAN ONLY ENTER THE COUNRTY ON A 90 DAY HOLIDAY VISA .. THEN LEAVE .. THATS NOT VERY IRISH ..WE IRISH BELIEVE MOST IRISH AMERICAN HAVE THIS 'HOLLYWOOD ROMANTIC VIEW OF IRELAND' WITH THE FOLKS DANCING AT THE CROSSROADS DRINKING GUINNESS AND SINGING SONGS OF DAYS GONE BY !!!!!! PLEASE WAKE UP THE REAL IRISH WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO WHAT YOU IMAGINE AND WHEN I VISIT AMERICAN AND HEAR THE WAY AMERICANS GO ON ABOUT IRELAND IT MAKES ME CRINGE ...SORRY BUT IT JUST DOES ..
STEVENSTAR | Apr 03, 2012, 04:21 PM EDT
@@@@@irishamerica46 | Apr 02, 2012, 03:59 PM EDT Now that you've signed a trade agreement with China , I guess we Irish Americans( who most of you seem to dislike)won't be buying any Irish goods made in China.What will happen to good Irish American money? Won't be visable in Ireland!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WE WERE NEVER A TRADING PARTENER OF AMERICA OUR BIGGEST TRADING PARTNER IS THE BRITIAN ENGLAND SCOTLAND AND WALES ALSO WE GET MOST OR OUR TOURISM FROM THERE ALSO INTO IRELAND .. AS FOR CHINA WHO CARES AS ITS SO FAR AWAY FROM US..
marywithers | Apr 03, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT
Trina Vargo is worthless. Why not start a petition for Irish Americans to ask that she be removed from the Alliance and get someone in who is more temperate.
bogsidebunny | Apr 03, 2012, 03:43 AM EDT
Ms. Vargo wasn't bashing, at all, at all......Telling the TRUTH apparantly is a "sin" in Irish culture. Ya know: "Gee I really tried to SAVE Ms. Kopeckni...HONEST!
Gaelphoncán | Apr 02, 2012, 10:59 PM EDT
dodgy punctuation
Gaelphoncán | Apr 02, 2012, 10:59 PM EDT
Is the Starman for real? I've a sneaking suspicion he might be George Dillon in disguise, playing the part of the überLittle Free Stater, winding us all up with his caps lock, dodgy puncuation, and over-the-top comments. An fíor dhom, a Sheoirse?
Gaelphoncán | Apr 02, 2012, 10:50 PM EDT
Perhaps Senhora Vargo does be mixing with the wrong crowd in Dublin town. In any case, it's difficult for me to take anyone seriously who would utter the phrase "from Ireland and Northern Ireland". She seems to be a bit of a loose cannon.
galway2001 | Apr 02, 2012, 08:07 PM EDT
FIRST OF ALL WHO THE HECK IS SHE,I NEVER HEARD OF HER I GUESS SHE LIKES THE MEXICAN'S.THERE'S A WORD IN THE DICTIONARY ITS CALLED AN IDIOT AND SHE'S IT
Madeliene | Apr 02, 2012, 07:09 PM EDT
my parents came to this country at ages 16 and 17 from Kerry and Cork.We were brought up thinking of Ireland as "home" as that is what it was called in our house. I would wager we know more about oour history than many of you born there now,our people are still there now and my grandparents and great granparents and graves are there and before that too!WE are as Irish as you are and if we love the shammrocks it is because we were taught that St Patrick used them to teach the Catholic religeon and yes we love the stories too!We also know of the hardships and the terrors that came from beinga young person there or an old one /piss off when I go 'home" I am going to buy a home there and I still will be Iris only I will walk in the places my parents walked and those before them and those there now.I Love America and I am an IRISH American and will have apassport to prove it! I reiterate- piss off
Murph46 | Apr 02, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
Ciaradexy-Learn Mandarin-Just sayin you might want to shmooze your new masters!
ciaradexy | Apr 02, 2012, 04:38 PM EDT
Irishamerica46- Would you be happier if we signed a trade agreement with you lot? The Chinese have invested in Irish goods.The Chinese are mad for their luxury goods these days and have money to spend. They want our goods, whats your gripe with that? Do you prefer to think that Ireland is the 51st state and that we should be relying on you?
ciaradexy | Apr 02, 2012, 04:23 PM EDT
Have you ever looked at the labels on the tat you buy when youre here? Most are made in China or Pakistan anyway! More fool you for assuming otherwise!
irishamerica46 | Apr 02, 2012, 03:59 PM EDT
Now that you've signed a trade agreement with China , I guess we Irish Americans( who most of you seem to dislike)won't be buying any Irish goods made in China.What will happen to good Irish American money? Won't be visable in Ireland!
ciaradexy | Apr 02, 2012, 03:01 PM EDT
STEVEN!!! CAPS LOCK! FOR THE LOVE OF JAYSIS, TAKE THE CAPS LOCK OFF!
ciaradexy | Apr 02, 2012, 03:01 PM EDT
Abby!!! She was repeating what she had heard and her experiences in regards to how a hell of a lot of Irish view some Americans! She is entitled to report back what she has heard! You should be grateful for her honesty! By the way, corned beef is an American dish NOT Irish! I had mates from Nashville over here for St Patricks weekend and even they thought that the 'Irish' Americans they met here were a bit of a joke!
abbym7180 | Apr 02, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT
you know steven, i appreciate your thought but lose the only if your from ireland you irish schtick. You can be american and have roots that go back over a hundred years from when our families emmigrated from your beautiful country. We love our ancestoral homeland as much as our current one. I'm sorry you seem appauled that we exist,but we do, if our families weren't starving to death at the time we'd still be in ireland.But don't believe vargo,she has no right to say what she does.Ok.
abbym7180 | Apr 02, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT
ciaradexy- yes, she was expressing her opinions on irish-americans, and as far as i care she can just shut up. She obviously dosen't know what she's talking about. I know. Believe me her comments were offensive.Even on st.patrick's day i couldn't find one televised parade this year.I had to watch the ny parade from the web.She just hits below the belt, & i'm not taking it from a fellow american. She can go on about shamrockery, she knows nothing.We don't go around wearing green and eating corned beef and cabbage all the time(my dad banned that meal as a kid).IF she was from ireland and just clearly clouded on understanding us, i'd understand, but she's not. She grew up here in the usa went to school here , and she knows better than to give us a bad rap overseas. Shame on her.
STEVENSTAR | Apr 02, 2012, 02:43 PM EDT
PS I ALSO LIVE IN SOUTHERN IRELAND IN CO.KERRY AND I HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THIS SENATOR KERRY... BEFORE WHO EVER HE IS ... GUARANTEE YOU HIS INVOLVED IN TOURISM AND A VERY CLEVER PR STUNT ...TO BRUSH OVER WHAT VARGO SAID ...IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO $$$$s THE AMOUNG OF AMERICAN TOURISTS IN IRELAND THESE DAYS IS PRETTY POOR... DUE TO RECESSION IN AMERICA AND DOLLAR AGAINST THE EURO SO IM SURE MR KERRY IS DOING ALL HE CAN TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BUT THAT DONT CHANGE THE FACTS OF WHAT WE IRISH THINK ..
STEVENSTAR | Apr 02, 2012, 02:39 PM EDT
SORRY BUT IM IRISH I LIVE IN IRELAND AND I WAS BORN HERE YOU CANT GET MORE IRISH THEN THAT DESPITE WHAT AMERICANS THINK .. I READ WHAT TRINA VARGO SAID AND SHE COULDNT BE MORE RIGHT.. THAT IS WHAT MOST IRISH DO THINK.!!!!.. OK THIS GUY IS ANNOYED ABOUT THAT IN CASE IT EFFECTS TOURISM OR WHATEVER .. BUT THE WOMAN IS CORRECT ...MOST IRISH PEOPLE LAUGH AT AMERICANS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES IRISH AMERICAN ... WHAT WE ACTUALLY THINK IS PROBABLY A FAR CRY AS TO HOW WE ARE PORTRTAYED IN AMERICA CAUSE IT WILL OFFEND SOME .. BUT IM IRISH AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH HER AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH WHAT SHE SAID WHATSOEVER!
ciaradexy | Apr 02, 2012, 02:37 PM EDT
Vargo wasnt expressing her opinion on Americans, she was meerly repeating what she had experienced in Ireland and she was right. Mark Daly was a reality tv show star, that is the only reason anyone had ever heard of him. I love co. Kerry but the people there are not known for voting for people who care about the country more their local area. Mark Daly is just like the Healy-Rae's-a joke. JamieLM, wonderful post!
abbym7180 | Apr 02, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
It wouldn't take my last post, but as an american with many irish roots, I find ms. vargo's remarks offensive, this shamrockery garbage is just that-garbage. Most of us in america love what we have, family.She's an american too. I doubt she's irish at all. And the prime minister of ireland deserves an apology by her, definately. Peace.
abbym7180 | Apr 02, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT
I'm quite happy that sen. Daly of kerry is calling for an inquiry.For one thing, ms. Vargo is an american just like me. She has no right to rant on against irish-americans.Is she really irish ?I doubt it. Keep in mind this is her organization,no connection to the us government, so she's just politicking for her own ends while offending us on this side of the atlantic as well as bashing the irish prime minister along the way. Ireland cut the funds to this. She may have worked for our beloved late sen. ted kennedy , but clearly she has net zero on manners,her comments are just rude.
bunkerhill | Apr 02, 2012, 01:23 PM EDT
Good for Mark Daley. Trina Varga is clearly not suited for her job. What a lot of baloney. I have been to Ireland so many times and never had a problem. But Varga does have a problem. Does she not know the Irish (world-wide)now have an anti-defamation league? And when WASPS (white anglo-saxon prots) disappear from the American venacular I will stop saying Irish-American.
irishcop025 | Apr 02, 2012, 12:12 PM EDT
I meant to say Lady in prior post.
irishcop025 | Apr 02, 2012, 12:11 PM EDT
I don't think this lad said anything that I have not heard or witnessed myself in Ireland going back to the 1960's. There is a lot of self-loathing in Ireland. "The Yank's", have always been a good lot to bash and cajole but aways fine to take their money! I never met an Irish person that disliked a US Dollar!
jamieLM | Apr 02, 2012, 11:56 AM EDT
Now, now, Murph46 and Bythebay, everyone, including DrT, has the right to express his/her opinion on this forum. I actually liked his paraphrase. @Murph46, "..better than us and know what's best!" - wrong man. Isn't that GeoD, the resident IC poster, I-know-EVERYTHING-about-Ireland-and-the-Irish-and-I'm-always-right-about-everything-and-I-speak-perfect-Irish? LOL GD, don't bother to call me a racist, moron, idiot, and my post "garbage." Your response has been heard before and I won't be back to this site to read it, but I'm sure you won't take this personally and get all worked up over this, as you are too mature and even-tempered to let my post bother you and have better things to do than waste time typing a nasty retort.
Murph46 | Apr 02, 2012, 11:06 AM EDT
DrTrelawney fancies himself as censor of IC,You see ,he's better than us and knows what's best! Typical frickin liberal!
DrTrelawney | Apr 02, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT
Oh Lord. Give it a rest. This factional squabble is becoming increasingly pathetic. Nobody outside your bubble gives a toss. To paraphrase a famous line on The Falklands war, this is like two bald men squabbling over a comb.
BrendanDunphy | Apr 02, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT
Vargo says, "I am apparently allowed to promote Ireland, but never criticise it." Um, isn't promoting Ireland part of HER JOB?!! Both sides of the ocean need to stop cutting checks to this farse organization. Money can be better spent elsewhere.
jim fitzpatrick | Apr 02, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT
Another very good reason for the abolition of the unelected Irish Senate.