Political Correspondent Christina Finn reporting from the US:
ST PATRICK’S DAY will strike a different tone this year as the Taoiseach heads Stateside to meet with US President Joe Biden.
Usually, the traditional trip over the pond is full of green festivities, shamrocks, and chats about the ‘old country’.
Despite there being pent up enthusiasm to spread the ‘green’ message this year due the Taoiseach being unable to travel to Washington DC last year because of the pandemic, Micheál Martin has considered the political landscape and the crisis in Ukraine and decided to evolve the “tone and theme” of St Patrick’s Day celebrations this week.
From an overt focus on Ireland, there will instead be a broader focus on the fact that “Ireland is an actively engaged and fully committed member of the international community that stands by democracy, the rule of law and human rights”, Martin told the Dáil last week.
“This year St. Patrick’s day will be different. It will be different because on all our minds will be the plight of the people of Ukraine. This must govern our actions and shape how we respond. It is as simple as that,” he said.
Balancing act
It will be a careful balancing act for the Taoiseach.
St. Patrick’s Day and the week in Washington DC will be used to highlight Ireland’s solidarity with Ukraine and the values for which the Ukrainian people are standing, he said.
Martin will have to marry a number of key messages on his trip such as Ireland’s attractiveness to do business with, the plight of the undocumented Irish living in the US, Brexit, Northern Ireland, Ireland as it emerges from the pandemic and wooing the much needed American tourists back, as well as the message of solidarity with Ukraine.
It is understood that there is a list of items that Martin will raise with Biden and other key US politicians such as how the EU must work closely with the US and UK on the situation.
He will also press home how Ireland in particular is making a real effort with humanitarian aid and willing to increase our domestic population by at least 2%.
Martin will also highlight how Irish people have offered to open up their homes to the thousands of refugees arriving in Ireland.
It is understood that Martin will also highlight to the US president his view that there is a need to hold on sanctions against Russia for a significant period of time, and to expedite the process around Ukraine membership of EU.
The Taoiseach will also seek to highlight the importance of democracy and free speech, and the abidance to international laws.
Using the St Patrick’s Day platform
The modified theme of the Irish message was already seen at the St Patrick’s Day festivities in London over the weekend.
The flag of Ukraine joined the Irish tricolour at the front of the parade on Sunday.
The Taoiseach also wore two scarves, one green and the other blue and yellow.
London-based Ukrainian Natalia Lesyuk was a grand marshal of the parade, along with 11 Irish representatives of the frontline workers.
Abroad, the Taoiseach has said all the various speaking occasions to mark St Patrick’s Day will highlight Ireland’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Members of the Government are representing Ireland in approximately 30 countries across Europe, America and Asia.
The Taoiseach said they will use those occasions to reassert Ireland’s “unequivocal commitment to democracy and to the people of Ukraine” with the Government looking at ways to recognise Ukraine and its people at official receptions that will be organised.
No Russian or Belarusian representatives will be invited to any official St. Patrick’s Day events, it was made clear.
Speeches at receptions and events will make appropriate reference to the situation in Ukraine, it is understood.
Varadkar in Chile
Another example of weaving the Ukraine conflict into St Patrick’s Day events abroad is Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in Chile.
He is there to open the new Irish embassy this week. The Ukrainian ambassador to Chile was invited to the ceremony on Saturday.
Tweeting about the event, Varadkar said he was “honoured to ask the Ukrainian ambassador to speak alongside the Chilean Foreign Minister & me at the opening of our new embassy in Santiago. This year St Patrick’s Day is not a celebration so much as a day of solidarity with all those affected by the pandemic & war in Ukraine”.
Was honoured to ask the Ukranian ambassador to speak alongside the Chilean Foreign Minister & me at the opening of our new embassy in Santiago. This year St Patrick’s Day is not a celebration so much as a day of solidarity with all those affected by the pandemic & war in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/WYO0csTIoU
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 12, 2022
Another move was taken in the last week to modify the traditional ‘Global Greening’ programme this year.
The programme has been paused this year so monuments can be lit in Ukraine’s colours.
The Taoiseach wrote to all Irish embassies asking that embassies, monuments and other sites typically lit up green for St Patrick’s Day should instead be lit up in yellow and blue.
Some countries which have already lit up their buildings in yellow and blue were going to turn them off in order to go green on St Patrick’s Day, but it is understood the Government said they would rather they stay in the Ukrainian colours.
Arrived in New York last night ahead of Taoiseach’s visit to Washington DC this week for the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) March 14, 2022
As reported, the global greening programme is on pause this week so buildings can remain in the Ukrainian colours such as the Empire State Building pic.twitter.com/FccwvgUS5x
The Taoiseach said Ireland can use the unique access that St. Patrick’s Day gives around the world as a platform to “express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and to seek to strengthen the global coalition of support for Ukraine and its people”.
“We need to act in solidarity and use the occasions to highlight what is happening,” he said.
The Journal’s Political Correspondent Christina Finn will be bringing you all the latest updates from Micheál Martin’s visit to Washington DC this week, including his meeting with US President Joe Biden on Thursday.
Stay up-to-date by following @christinafinn8, @TJ_Politics and TheJournal.ie’s Facebook page.
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