I have news for Nigel Farage. Ireland is an independent, democratic nation that has freely chosen for its own benefit to be a member of the community of 27 independent nations known as the European Union. I am proud to have represented that sovereign nation for more than 40 years
Representing
#Ireland
at this week’s
#inauguration
of President
@JoeBiden
, someone who is proud of his Irish American heritage, and has the strongest Irish background of any US President since
#JFK
, promises to be a highlight of my time in America.
#BidenHarrisInauguration
I believe that
@donie
enjoyed our
#inauguration
cup cakes. So did we. Greta & I were delighted that he dropped in for a chat during his busy
#Washington
schedule.
Ireland’s vaccine record is really impressive.
90% of 12+ population fully vaccinated
92.5% of adults (18+) fully vaccinated
84% of 18-29 age-group fully vaccinated
Well done
@muirtheimhne
@paulreiddublin
and everyone involved in this fantastic achievement.
I look forward with pride and enthusiasm to representing
#Ireland
at tomorrow’s
#BidenHarrisInauguration
. It will be a career highlight to witness the swearing in of President
@JoeBiden
, the most Irish American President since
#JFK
.
At
@Dulles_Airport
about to board my first transatlantic flight in 16 months. Have not seen my children & grandchildren since then. Can’t wait to be reunited with them. It will be an emotional experience.
President-elect
@JoeBiden
has been a regular visitor to our Residence. He has always been warm & gracious, & proud of his Irish heritage. I congratulate him on his election & wish him every success. I am sure that Irish-US relations will continue to thrive in the years ahead.
And goodbye to our happy
#Washington
home where we spent a fantastic 5 years. And míle buíochas to Greta for her unfailing support this past 40 years. Onwards!
Ireland is waiving visa requirements for Ukrainians fleeing the country in the wake of an attack by Russia 🇺🇦
The Taoiseach has announced that refugees trying to get out of the country will be allowed into Ireland 🇮🇪
“I have little patience for those who argue that EU membership is incompatible with national sovereignty& independence.. As Ireland’s Ambassador to the USA, I represent a fully independent, sovereign Irish State that is also a committed member of the EU.”
Some personal news. When I finish my term as Ambassador, I will take up a new role as Global Distinguished Professor of Irish Studies
@GIHNYU
@nyuniversity
. Until my last day
@IrelandEmbUSA
in August, I will be full on in serving Ireland’s interests in 🇺🇸.
On the way to the
#BidenHarrisInauguration
wearing masks by Irish designer,
@jrothwelldesign
. Well wrapped up for a cold few hours ahead. Delighted to be there for this historic day.
100 years ago today, when the Irish Free State was established, was the first time in history that the country was under the control of an Irish Government. Ireland had been under foreign control since the Norman invasion in the 12th century. A momentous day in Irish history.
I wrote to
@nytimes
because I got tired of
@paulkrugman
’s repeated leprechaun gibes, with the implication that the interests of small countries can be casually dismissed. Was also put off by his lame excuse that ‘the Irish have a sense of humour’ about this name-calling. I don’t.
40 years married today. Very happy years. Blessed to have had Greta by my side all this time and to have raised two wonderful children, Tara and Jason, who now have loving families of their own. Onwards in love and togetherness.
#40thAnniversary
VACCINATION UPDATE 🇮🇪
💉 91% adults (18+) fully vaccinated (
#1
in EU)
💉 ~93% adults have received at least 1 dose
💉 90.3% of 16+ popn. fully vaccinated
💉 90.4% of 12+ popn. have received at least 1 dose
@HSELive
#ForUsAll
It was with a heavy heart that I accepted the
@IrelandFundsAM
leadership award on behalf of the Taoiseach
@MichealMartinTD
& delivered his speech at the National Gala. I filled in for the Taoiseach after he tested positive for
#Covid19
. I wish the Taoiseach well for his recovery.
Irish violinist Patricia Treacy, from County
#Louth
, will perform in
#Washington
tomorrow at President
@JoeBiden
’s
#inauguration
. She called around this afternoon with her Stradivarius. We recorded something together which I will post in the morning.
.
@HelenORahilly
’s efforts have been noticed & admired in
@washingtonpost
“In Ireland, a woman named Helen O’Rahilly has helped organize nearly 6,000 volunteers to help elderly, & immune-compromised people get groceries, almost entirely through
@Twitter
.” Bualadh bos, Helen
Ireland now has best educated population in the EU. Almost half of 25-64 years have a University or equivalent qualification, 15% above the EU average.
1) Thread
Ireland has become Europe's most educated country - the share of 25-64 year olds with a third level qualification is close to half and higher than any of the other EU 27 members.
Today's column discusses.
Thank you to Greta for her unrelenting support on our 40 year journey representing
#Ireland
with
@dfatirl
. A true diplomat. A perfect partner in life.
Let me try to explain. When Joe Biden says he’s Irish, that’s shorthand for Irish American, which is a widely-held American identity. There is no equivalent in Ireland, mainly because we are not a traditional host country for immigrants where hybrid identities have evolved.
Leo Varadkar's father was from India, but the Taoiseach has never gone around claiming to be Indian - but still he goes along with Joe Biden telling everyone that he's Irish because a few of his great great grandparents were from here. It's such a cod.
Are you claiming that EU members lack self-respect & that they are not independent? For the record, I’ve spent 40 years representing an independent state that is also a committed member of the EU. And with respect, don’t try to tell me that 27 EU members lack self-respect.
#Ireland
’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister)
@LeoVaradkar
, a qualified doctor, is to return to practicing medicine and will work one session each week in our health service during the
#Covid_19
crisis.
Fully-vaccinated Americans are being warmly welcomed in
#Ireland
. 👇👇Let’s hope it won’t be long before Irish people (90% of whom are fully vaccinated) can visit the USA when the
#travelban
is lifted.
I spent my entire diplomatic career seeing British colleagues as champions of international law & human rights norms & pushing back against authoritarianism. It is a shock to have a senior British politician dismiss international obligations as ‘gilded’ irrelevancies.
Absolutely unhinged. Untethered from legality or morality.
@sturdyAlex
completely right here…this is the rhetoric of dictators…”the law is whatever we decide it to be”. Time was, when UK believed in the international rules based world order.
Today
@IrelandEmbUSA
we remember those Irish students who lost their lives so tragically in Berkeley six years ago. Ashley, Eimear, Eoghan, Lorcan, Niccolai, and Olivia are in our thoughts, as are their families and friends, and those who suffered injuries on that terrible day.
On this milestone day on the bumpy road out of this pandemic, it’s worth noting that
~95% of adults in Ireland have been fully vaccinated
~80% of those eligible have received boosters
>10.2m doses have been administered to date
Deep gratitude to all who made this happen 🙏
The Orange Order peacefully marching in Co. Donegal with support from the local community. The Order should & will always be welcome to parade in Donegal. In contrast, what is the rationale for the hateful burning of the Irish flag on a bonfire? Can anyone explain this?
Fact is, Ireland’s position has been enhanced by EU membership. We are a far more prosperous, confident & outward-looking country than before we joined. We made an independent, sovereign decision to work with our fellow EU members in pursuit of our overlapping values & interests.
"Our founders believed in national sovereignty. This is why it is so astounding that most Irish people have no sympathy for the impulse behind Brexit."
I have been fully vaccinated in DC, eligible on age grounds &while I still act with care,it does make for a more normal life. I have complete confidence in the vaccine & experienced no side effects. I hope that everyone will get vaccinated when their time comes. Let’s beat
#Covid
And there’s always an Irish
#poem
.
Hearts with one purpose alone
Through summer and winter seem
Enchanted to a stone
To trouble the living stream” -
#Yeats
“So hope for a great sea-change
On the far side of revenge.
Believe that a further shore
Is reachable from here” -
#Heaney
In 1973, Ireland was an outlier in Western Europe. Far behind other EEC members in economic terms; the sole non-NATO member among the 9; socially, far more conservative. The others were sceptical of 🇮🇪’s membership credentials. They accepted us primarily as a UK add-on.
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s EU membership. This thread will contain some personal reflections based on 44 years experience
@dfatirl
. It draws on a recent talk I gave in New York
@GIHNYU
&
@RemarqueNYU
.
Ar mo bhealach go dtí insealbhú Uachtarán Biden. Tá an-áthas orm bheith ag freastail ar son na hÉireann ar an ócáid speisialta seo.
@CnaG
@JoeBiden
@TG4TV
Here’s a facsimile of the signatures of the politicians who negotiated the Good Friday Agreement. Their legacy is 20 years of peace & the lives that have thus been saved. Today is a day to remind ourselves of the road that’s been travelled & of the need to continue that journey.
I never met Lyra McKee who was shot dead in Derry last night, but if you read this beautiful & heart-wrenching letter of hers, which brought tear my eyes, you will know what a tragic loss her death is to our common humanity. May she Rest In Peace.
This is a ridiculous distortion of the Irish Government’s position. It does not claim sovereignty over Northern Ireland. Under the Irish constitution, it has a valid aspiration to Irish unity, but by exclusively peaceful means & with the consent of a majority of the people of NI.
Is Ireland the only country in Europe, besides Russia of course, that has an expansionist agenda?
No other nation leader in the Western world would make provocative political predictions that involve asserting sovereignty, present or future, over a foreign national territory.
VACCINATION UPDATE 🇮🇪
Another significant milestone reached!
💉 92% of adults (18+) are fully vaccinated
💉 ~93% of 16+ popn. have received at least 1 dose
💉 >91% of 12+ popn. have received at least 1 dose
💉~75% of total popn. are fully vaccinated
@HSELive
#ForUsAll
I had the great pleasure today of stepping on to the fabled Lake Isle of
#Innisfree
for the first time & couldn’t resist making this recording. A bit of an indulgence I know! Míle buíochas to David O’Hara
@SUPFORALL
for taking me there.
When sizing up Ireland’s support for Ukraine, it is only fair to note that Ireland now hosts some 80,000 Ukrainians (which in relative terms would equate to 1 million for the UK) & also contributes its full share to EU aid for Ukraine. It is not sitting on the fence on
#Ukraine
.
That's quite some gall from Varadkar to talk about Britain "disengaging from the world" while presiding over a neutrality policy that freerides on NATO while the UK spends billions of pounds sending weapons to Ukraine.
New York is now using a
#Covid
tracker App which was developed in
#Ireland
by
@NearForm
@Cianomaidin
. A superb achievement by a
#Waterford
-based company. An illustration of how Irish companies are doing great things in the USA.
#BREAKING
: New York just launched COVID Alert NY, an exposure app that will alert you if you were in contact with someone who has COVID.
The app will never track your location & is completely anonymous.
Protect your community, yourself & your privacy. Download the app today ⬇️
For those unfamiliar with Northern Ireland, here are its First Minister & Deputy First Minister attending a
@NorthernIreland
soccer international together. Anywhere else that would be unremarkable, but in NI it is groundbreaking in light of the region’s deep historical divisions.
Some dazzling facts about the Irish economy. Ireland produces 10% of world’s infant formula; 80% of cardiovascular stents; 33% of contact lenses.
#IrishAdvantage
.
#YearInReview
This year Ireland positioned itself as a global innovation hub.
Now, with a growing economy, a young, educated workforce, & a support system designed to support the best of talent & imagination, the future looks bright!
#IrishAdvantage
I see the idea being aired that the Irish Free State cynically sacrificed Northern Ireland to achieve its own independence. That is nonsense. 32-country independence was simply not achievable in 1922 short of a catastrophic civil war that was, in any case, not winnable.
Bags packed. On our way home at the end of a memorable, eventful, enjoyable time in the 🇺🇸. We made some great friends here & leave with a stock of fond memories.
Ireland’s Great Famine has attracted some attention this past week. For those who want to know more about what happened in the 1840s & its after-effects, here is my blog on the subject.
Well done to everyone associated with our
@UN
Security Council bid, members of our Government,
@irishmissionun
&
@dfatirl
, on today’s fantastic achievement in being elected in such a competitive group. I know that we will acquit ourselves superbly well in the coming 2 years.
It was a joy to be able to have family accompany me to the
@WhiteHouse
last night, notably my youngest grandchild, 5-month-old George, who may well be the youngest visitor there this
#Christmas
. Thanks to
@POTUS
&
@FLOTUS
for inviting us to experience a
#WHChristmas
&
#WHHolidays
Happy to debate the EU and Northern Ireland with you any time. I proudly represented my country around the world for 44 years. Worked closely with British diplomats & NI representatives throughout that time. Actively promoted the cause of peace & reconciliation in Ireland. & you?
A disgraceful but not surprising comment from
@DanMulhall
who has spent his life misrepresenting Northern Ireland to the world .He doesn’t answer the points.Even he should know it was a U.K. vote in the referendum and leaving NI under EU rules and court is a scyth to the Union
I was honoured to be asked to propose a toast to President
@JoeBiden
@NewDemCoalition
’s Inauguration Day celebration. It will be a privilege to pay tribute to a President with such strong Irish heritage. My toast will have to be a strong one to match to the prescribed cocktail!
I can’t thank you all enough for the positive comments that are flooding my mentions right now.
I posted my video for fun, never expecting it to reach so many people! Here’s a little video for those of you who prefer to see a treble jig to real irish music💚
Let me get this right. The UK’s most important international ally ‘hates the UK’. I wonder how many people in the UK share that view of
@POTUS
Biden. Not many I suspect. PM Sunak seemed pleased to see him in Belfast last night.
🔴 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 | Dame Arlene Foster says she believes President Joe Biden "hates the United Kingdom", claiming: “I just think the fact he’s coming here won’t put any pressure on the DUP, quite the reverse actually."
Another expression of British hostility to Biden, which is a foolish thing. The US does not invite foreign leaders to its inaugurations & US President don’t attend inaugurations in other countries. The First Lady is a big figure and should not be seen as an insult to Britain.
Leaders from across the world are attending today's Coronation of King Charles III. Even the French President is there. Notably absent is Joe Biden, who could not be bothered. What message does this send to America's closest ally? Biden is a petty, arrogant, sneering disgrace.
Watching
#Donegal
’s Muireann Bradley playing the blues on
@BBCLater
Jools Holland’s
#Hootenany
. What a great blues voice and superb guitar playing. One to watch for the future.
Irish violinist Patricia Treacy came to the Embassy yesterday and we recorded this W.B.
#Yeats
poem, ‘Down by the Sally Gardens’ which we dedicate to President
@JoeBiden
, a fan of Yeats’s work. Patricia will play the violin at today’s
#inauguration
.
@culture_ireland
Congratulations to Mayor
@marty_walsh
on his nomination as Labour Secretary in the
@JoeBiden
Administration. I have had the pleasure of meeting Mayor Walsh during visits to
#Boston
. He usually greets me in Irish, his parents being Irish speaking immigrants from
#Connemara
.
A wonderful letter from
@POTUS
Biden to
@GIHNYU
about his sense of pride in his Irish heritage - “I write to you as a descendant of the Blewitts from County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth ..”. You have to love his PS to the letter.
Morgan Bullock, a 21-year-old African-American woman from Richmond, Virginia, has become an internet sensation after posting videos of herself doing traditional Irish dance to the beat of hip-hop music
It just occurred to me that I joined
@dfatirl
exactly 44 years ago. It’s been a long, wonderful journey with spells representing Ireland in 9 countries plus various assignments in Dublin and involvement in the negotiations that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement.
Expect a joyous welcome for
@POTUS
in the west of Ireland today. People outside of Ireland may see it as hokey, but you need to remember that emigration has been part of Ireland’s national DNA for centuries. It is natural for us to laud the achievements of our global diaspora.
"At least” $3 million has come directly from Irish people living in Ireland, according to Navajo Nation attorney-general Doreen McPaul. "It is quite overwhelming at a human level. It is the good in all of the bad that is going on."
#KindredSpirits
I left
#London
for
#Washington
three years ago today. It’s been an exciting, eventful & rewarding assignment which continues to energise me even in current circumstances with all the curtailments necessitated by
#COVID19
.
At President Biden's inauguration two weeks ago,
@TheAmandaGorman
reminded the world of poetry's power to heal. That she is a member of the parish of Brigid, matron Saint of Poets, seems fitting. On
#BrigidsDay
morning, our Ambassador reads 'The Miracle of Morning' in her honor.