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Obama's St. Patrick's Day wish is to visit Ireland

Obama: 'I would love to be going to Ireland'

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral.com

Published Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 2:13 PM
Updated Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 6:03 PM

 

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President Obama's St Patrick's Day wish is to visit Ireland
President Obama's St Patrick's Day wish is to visit Ireland

President Barack Obama says he would love to be going to Ireland.

Speaking at the St Patrick's Day "Shamrock Ceremony," Obama said, "I would love to be going to Ireland."

Obama made his remarks after being presented with the ceremonial bowl of shamrock (which our editor says will be massacred by nightfall) by Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen.

He thanked the Taoiseach for visiting and said there were bound to be more Americans claiming ancestry today.

"Thirty-six million Americans claim Irish ancestry -– I'm sure more do on St. Patrick’s Day," he said to laughter.

He thanked Cowen and the Irish people for "crucial" international assistance in Afghanistan and in global food security.

For his part, Cowen spoke briefly and kept his remarks to the international arena focusing on trade and investment.

"I’m glad to say that the two-way relationship in terms of investment is continuing. Over 34 billion euros have been invested by Irish companies in the United States, employing 85,000 people directly," Cowen said

"And that, if you like, mirrors the very significant U.S. investment that’s taking place in Ireland, employing directly of the order of 90,000 people. So that important two-way mutual benefit to this trade is very, very important, one I know that you’re equally cognizant about in terms of finding jobs for your people as we seek to provide jobs for ours."

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8 Comments

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Posted by MAGHNUS on Mar 18, 2010, 10:24 AM EDT
That's "claiming Irish Ancestry." Sorry for the typo.
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Posted by MAGHNUS on Mar 18, 2010, 10:22 AM EDT
Thirty-six million Americans claim Irish Ancestry? Really? That couldn't be because there was Irish Slavery in America from 1492-1865, predating even African slavery by 113 years. Could that be why so many Americans are claim Irish Ancestry? I wonder.
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Posted by windrider48 on Mar 17, 2010, 10:37 PM EDT
If we could get him to stay there for three years, I'd be in favor, but do I want to curse the Irish that way?
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Posted by lkmcclain on Mar 17, 2010, 07:34 PM EDT
Obama is just a wolf in sheeps clothing. dont trust anything he says. he cannot be trusted, just listen to what he says he is doing for the US and watch what he does. he's destroying us piece by piece. wont be long before there's a revolution here again.....
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Posted by IrishAndProud on Mar 17, 2010, 05:48 PM EDT
Well, certain Irish are enthralled with the guy, for some reason or other (I don't know why). Maybe it's because they like being associated with someone black to asuage some white guilt they have, and/or to prove how un-racist they are, etc. Whatever the case, the slobbering and gushing by certain Irish over the likes of Barack Hussein Obama is quite embarrassing. I think the man sees Ireland as just another distant, obscure, whatever-the-hell white nation that he really has no mental or emotional connection with (or interest in) whatsoever -- beyond whatever politcal benefit there might be, for himself. He's 'famous' for being black, remember, and NOT for his white side -- so to suddenly hold that up now as some sort of fascinating connection with Ireland rings just a bit hollow. It's silly. It's pointless.
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Posted by Madeleine on Mar 17, 2010, 05:29 PM EDT
Obama doesn't know much about America or its people either so don't be insulted. Everytime I hear the name Obama in the Irish news I fear for you.
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Posted by IrishAndProud on Mar 17, 2010, 03:13 PM EDT
Strange way of saying it: "I'd love to be going to Ireland." Why couldn't he just say, 'I'd love to visit Ireland?" I honestly sense that Obama is simply awkward and a wee bit uncomfortable with the very subject of Ireland...a land whose culture, language and people he's utterly unfamiliar with and disinterested in. He was just going through the smiley-faced formality of meeting with the Taoiseach and really couldn't care less -- and it was reflected in his awkwardly-worded statement, above. It was just a 'yeah-whatever-just-going-through-the-motions' moment, for him.
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Posted by CitizenWhy on Mar 17, 2010, 02:48 PM EDT
Why not have the Irish people vote on whether they want Obama or the Pope to visit? These visits are costly so one is enough.
 


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