Irish Examiner view: Taking pride in Irish-US relations
Joe Biden has sent a letter to Glucksman Ireland House, the centre for Irish and Irish-American Studies at New York University.
US president Joe Biden has never made a secret of the pride he holds in his Irish heritage. Cynics, both here and in the US, may have thought that much of it was election campaigning but, as we have seen since he took office, the president says what he means and means what he says.
His latest statement of Irishness comes in the form of a letter to Glucksman Ireland House, the centre for Irish and Irish-American Studies at New York University, which hosted its annual gala virtually on Tuesday.
In his letter, Biden addresses Marie Heaney, wife of poet Seamus Heaney; Taoiseach Micheál Martin; as well as the students of Glucksman Ireland House.
He exhorts the Taoiseach to “let us work together so we are the nations where hope reigns with an optimism that is brave and digs deep.”
The engagement by Mr Biden with the event comes ahead of next month’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Martin will not travel to Washington for the annual meeting with the US president, the vice-president, and speaker of the House of Representatives. Instead, a programme of virtual events is being planned.
Under current Covid-19 restrictions, the president’s engagement was virtual but he continues to show that his ‘grá’ for Ireland is very much real and that we have a true friend in the White House.
We look forward to greeting him in the flesh on Irish soil in the not too distant future.
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