President Michael D Higgins pays tribute to Argentina's Irish diaspora

as is right and proper to honor those who fought for worthy causes.

Curitiba... As a first generation Irish in Argentina, we're doing OK thanks. It was an honour to meet the President and his wife last week, and the last thing we Irish want is to be thought of as a colonial empire. We didn't miss out on anything, thank you very much.

How would it be if Ireland had its own colony in South America, a place where Irish culture and language is maintained and reinvigorated by immigration from Ireland and the rest of the Diaspora nations. Britain, France, Spain and Portugal got their own nations in the Americas, where you see a mirror image of the source culture in Europe. Ireland missed out and now the Irish community (and others) are subject to the subtle assimilation policies of the government of Argentina. It was lucky to have survived as long as it did, given that there has been no mass immigration of Irish people since the 1800's. Perhaps a new wave of Irish immigration to Argentina would save the Irish community there from complete assimilation.

Another common bond between the two countries is the bond that the Crown forces attempted ( & continue ) to place on both of these sovereign nations. (Remember the Malvinas War? G.B. calls them the Falkland Islands )