Washington Correspondent
The tradition of a bowl of shamrock being presented to a US president on St Patrick s Day will be continued this year, even though the event will be virtual.
The crystal bowl, which this year was made by Criostal na Rinne in County Waterford, is already at the White House and was delivered there on Friday by Irish embassy staff.
The shamrock bowl will be placed on President Joe Biden s desk during his virtual St Patrick s Day meeting with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Wednesday.
Discussions are expected to cover a broad agenda of issues, including the deep ties between the US and Ireland, Covid-19 and shared global challenges, such as climate change.
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The Taoiseach’s St Patrick’s Day programme will begin on Monday, 15 March. By Hayley Halpin Saturday 13 Mar 2021, 12:58 PM Mar 13th 2021, 12:58 PM 26,716 Views 69 Comments
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Image: Julien Behal via RollingNews.ie
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN is to participate in a programme of virtual events with the United States over three days to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
The traditional high-level political engagements in Washington DC will take place on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March, itself. Martin will virtually meet with US President Joe Biden.
The Taoiseach will participate in all events over the course of the three days from Government Buildings.
Mr Martin will present President Biden with the traditional shamrock bowl and will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris. He will also meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and with members of the US Congress Friends of Ireland Caucus, who mark their 40th anniversary on St Patrick’s Day.
The Taoiseach’s programme commences on Monday from Government Buildings with a policy address to the Washington-based Brookings Institution in which he will set out his thinking on managing relations on and off the island in the post-Brexit context.
That evening, Mr Martin will speak at the US launch of ‘From Whence I Came: The Kennedy Legacy, Ireland & America , edited by Brian Murphy & Donnacha Ó Beacháin.
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