President Joe Biden addressed to the Houses of the Oireachtas in Dublin on Thursday as part of his three-day trip to the Republic of Ireland. He did so as the fourth American president (after John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton) to do so.
Biden talked about his Irish ancestry and emphasized the enduring importance of the relationship with Ireland that dates back to the United States’ founding.
The torch of liberty and the revolutionary spirit of my country were sparked, he added, “by the Irish hearts.” “The Irish blood from all around this island that was freely sacrificed for the independence of my country.”
He emphasized how Ireland stands firmly with the United States and allies throughout the world in defending Ukraine from Russian aggression.
Invoking Kennedy’s 1963 speech to the Irish parliament, Biden added, “Ireland pursues an independent course in foreign policy, but it is not neutral between liberty and tyranny and never will be.
The nation, which is a member of the European Union but not NATO, is militarily neutral but supports Ukraine by taking in roughly 80,000 of its refugees after Russia invaded.
Lawmakers clapped wildly for Biden several times.
Sean O Fearghail, speaker of the lower chamber, made his opening remarks by stating that you have “demonstrated unwavering faith, great resilience, and the ability to bring people of various and frequently contradictory viewpoints together.”
In a quote from the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney, whose work Biden frequently alludes to, he stated, “You urge us to imagine that the further shore is reachable.”
It’s not surprising that Biden’s address received positive reviews.
President Biden is well known for being quite proud of his Irish heritage, according to Eoin Drea, a senior researcher at the Wilfried Martens Institute for European Studies. He told VOA, “And that’s something that actually makes a lot of Irish people extremely proud as well.
Heaney’s wife Mary was invited as a special guest and became obviously moved when Biden mentioned the poet’s birthday in his speech.
Good Friday Accord
Biden praised the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 peace agreement that helped put an end to 30 years of brutal war over whether Northern Ireland should unify with Ireland or remain part of the United Kingdom, as he has done throughout the tour, which started on Tuesday in Northern Ireland.
“Peace is valuable. It still requires champions, and it still requires care “He urged closer cooperation between the UK and Ireland to protect the deal.
Biden expressed optimism for the reinstatement of the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland earlier on Thursday when he rang the Peace Bell at the official residence of the Irish president, which had collapsed due to a boycott and political squabbling. He assured that American businesses are prepared to invest once the government is back in session.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which prefers continuous administration with London, and Sinn Fein, which generally favors reunification with Ireland, have been the two major political parties with the most power sharing issues.
The most recent collapse of the government, in February 2022, was caused by the DUP boycotting in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, a post-Brexit agreement between the U.K. and the European Union for Northern Ireland to maintain an open border and permit trade with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member.
assistance to Ukraine
Leo Varadkar, commonly known as the Taoiseach, met with Biden earlier on Thursday. The Taoiseach was in Washington last month for the yearly custom of the Irish prime minister attending St. Patrick’s Day at the White House.
He commended Varadkar for Ireland’s dedication to taking in Ukrainian refugees.
He acknowledged to Varadkar, “I know it’s not easy. “I think our issues and beliefs are the same,” the speaker said.
Varadkar thanked Biden for his “leadership when it comes to Ukraine” and stated that “democracy, liberty, and the things that we believe in are on the wane.”
Brendan O’Leary, the Lauder professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that Ireland has been committed to making sure that Ukraine receives a lot of humanitarian aid.
He said to VOA, “And Ireland has not adopted a position that its neutrality requires it to refrain from providing any military support to Ukraine.
This assistance has been limited thus far, with only up to 30 members of the Irish Defense Forces helping to train Ukrainian soldiers as part of the European Union Military Support Mission for Ukraine.
Ireland has a policy of not becoming involved in conflicts that are started by others since gaining its independence in 1922, according to Drea.
He claimed that, “surprisingly enough,” “even the war in Ukraine hasn’t been able to persuade the Irish people to significantly reconsider their long-standing posture of neutrality.”
“An honor to come back”
“Your feet will take you where your heart is, as the Irish proverb says. It’s a privilege to be back “Biden signed the guest book at the official house of President Michael D. Higgins.
While visiting in 2011, then-President Barack Obama planted an Irish oak nearby, and during Biden’s visit, he also dug a hole for his own newly planted tree and applauded a young person participating in a Gaelic sports display.
Biden visited County Louth, where his maternal great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan, a shoemaker who moved to New York in 1849, lived, the day before.
“Isn’t that incredible? Five weeks after Barack’s great-great-grandfather departed from the same port, my great-great-grandfather did likewise “On Thursday, he told reporters that Obama’s Irish maternal ancestor was from that country.
And it’s amazing that they both believed their great-great-grandsons would become president while seeking a new life for themselves.
On the west coast of Ireland, in Ballina, the hometown of his paternal ancestors, Biden will deliver a speech on Friday night to wrap up his journey.
