Here is the Taoiseach's schedule for his week-long visit to the US

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is this morning travelling to the US for a week-long St Patrick's Day visit, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith of the Irish Examiner.

It could prove crucial to Ireland's future relationship with Donald Trump, the imminent Brexit fallout and the Irish economy.

Mr Kenny will begin his five-city visit with an address in Philadelphia tomorrow, before attending events in Rhode Island, Boston, Washington DC and New York between now and St Patrick's Day on Friday.

The highlight of the trip will be the annual bilateral meeting with US president Donald Trump at the White House.

Mr Kenny has promised to raise concerns over Mr Trump's deeply controversial six-nation Muslim travel ban at their meeting on Thursday - the same day as the plan is legally introduced.

The meeting, which is also expected to see Mr Kenny raise the plight of undocumented Irish in the US and the need to ensure US firms stay based in Ireland, will also take place a day after German chancellor Angela Merkel meets Mr Trump at the same venue.

While the week of engagements is likely to prove crucial to Irish people in the US and the national economy, it will also take place at a time when Britain is expected to trigger Article 50 - and therefore its Brexit departure from the EU.

This is expected to be triggered next week, with widespread suggestions it will occur as early as Wednesday.

Among Mr Kenny's other engagements on a trip which also comes amid looming plans for his resignation as Taoiseach are:

- meetings with Boston mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker on Monday before celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of John F Kennedy's birth

- a Tuesday visit to TF Green airport for the official launch of the Norwegian Airlines flights to the US from Cork and Dublin

- A Thursday meeting with US vice-president Mike Pence during which Mr Kenny will highlight "Ireland's commitment to EU membership, emphasising the importance of the EU's core values of human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality"

- and Mr Kenny's participation in the New York St Patrick's Day parade on Friday, before a "major event" to promote Ireland hosted by businessman Michael Bloomberg at Bloomberg Headquarters.

For regular updates on the visit, log on to www.irishexaminer.com, follow @ocionnaith and @irishexaminer on Twitter, or follow the Irish Examiner on Facebook.