Crystal bowl to Obama puts us 24th on gift ranking list

A gift from Ireland was ranked the 24th best out of the 274 presents given to US president Barack Obama between 2009 and 2012.

The exercise was undertaken by the Washington Post, gauging the gifts by value, and quality. The newspaper figured the best gifts, on average, came from New Zealand, with the worst from Singapore.

Seven times we figured on the Obama gift list, with the best coming in 2012, when we presented to the most powerful man in the world with a crystal bowl centrepiece (probably containing shamrock, and probably promptly incinerated), along with a 27in tall bronze statue of James Hoban (the Kilkenny architect who designed the White House), a certificate of Mr Obama’s Irish heritage, two silver shamrock charm bracelets, a lambswool scarf and a lambswool blanket.

Ireland also features at 42, with a 2009 offering by then taoiseach Brian Cowen of a limited-edition copy of Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf; a painting entitled “Bogland” by Mark Dwyer; four books; and a limited-edition Waterford crystal bowl. In 2010, we proffered two first-edition volumes of William Yeats books, published in 1906 and 1907, which earned us 61st place in the ranking.

Ireland’s gifts have a lot going for them when compared to, say, the Vatican, which in 2009 sent Obama a large red linen portfolio containing 10 lithographs of the fountains of the Vatican; a Bible in a burgundy leather case; a book entitled Vatican City; two children’s hats; a child’s puzzle and a child’s wrist watch. Divine inspiration, indeed, especially, when you spot that in the same year Russia delivered a CD holder and some CDs, trumping this outstanding feat of diplomacy in 2010 with a Blu-ray disc set in a wooden display box. The subject matter is unknown, but most likely features action man Putin arm-wrestling a bear... and winning, of course.

It’s no surprise to see Singapore scored dismally, as it felt a “uGoGo electronic pulse massager” was top of the president’s wish-list in 2010 and, as if that chill-out gift wasn’t enough, they threw in a Creative MP3 player.

Denmark, twice, gave Obama signed portraits of Queen Margrethe II and her husband Pince Henrik, while the Philippines opted for a bamboo bike. The EU were “write on” when they gave Obama a pencil, but not just any pencil, this was the Faber-Castell “Perfect Pencil”.

Britain, surprisingly, made it in at number 3 with, of all things, a custom Dunlop table tennis table featuring US and UK decals, inscription, and paddles.

The Post felt the best gift came from Mexico in 2012 (5in-wide Aztec calendar stamped on a pure silver coin weighing 1kg); the nation also made it in at No 4 with four bottles of tequila and a wooden trunk containing a silver ark.

New Zealand’s offering in 2011 proved to be the second best — a traditional Maori weapon with a short broad-bladed club, made of sacred greenstone.

Among the gifts from the Czech Republic in 2009 was a ceramic bowl for the Obamas’ dog Bo, which earned it fifth place for the sentimental Post journalist.

Bottom of the pile, ranked 274, was Poland, which in 2011 gave the president a bag full of paraphernalia related to the video game Witcher 2.

Italy was by far the most generous, accounting for one-fifth of the value of all of the gifts, spending a staggering $162,298, though, surprisingly, its gifts were rather poorly rated by the newspaper. Oil-rich Saudia Arabia’s generosity amounted to $56,755, and not far behind was, interestingly, the West African state of Gabon at $52,695.

By comparison, Ireland’s gifts cost $17,769.19 during the 2009-2012 period.

Unfortunately for Mr Obama he does not get to keep the presents, which are all packed off to the US National Archives and Records Administration.

In April of this year, during his historic state visit to Britain, President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina gave Queen Elizabeth II a bronze bust of the legendary racehorse Arkle with Pat Taffe by Emma McDermott.

Prince Charles received a fly fishing frame with 12 river flies (Irish made), while for Camilla there was a ‘Foxford rug in Mayo tartan’.

In return, President Higgins was given a pair of photographs of the queen and the duke of Edinburgh, as well as a copy of Dubliners by James Joyce.

All gifts received at Áras an Uachtaráin valued at more than €650 are offered to the State.

Silver cuff links were in fashion last year with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who doled them out to four leaders, including Greek prime minister Antonis Samuras and to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on a visit here, while Mr Kenny, on a return trip in December, gifted Mr Abe a golf jacket.