Former Irish presidents and taoisigh along with serving politicians and figures from the worlds of sport and the arts assembled in St Patrick’s Hall, Dublin Castle, for a banquet in honour of US president Joe Biden on Thursday.
In pre-dinner remarks Taoiseach Leo Varadkar thanked Mr Biden for his support of Ireland throughout his career, while Mr Biden told those gathered there is “nothing Ireland and the United States can’t achieve together”.
Mr Varadkar and Mr Biden were seated together at a table that also included Marie Heaney, the wife of the late poet Seamus Heaney.
During his remarks, Mr Biden told Ms Heaney that one of his “great regrets” was being unable to accept an invitation to introduce her husband at a university presentation.
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He thanked her for being there and said: “I’ve had a lifelong love for Irish poets and words made famous by Yeats like ‘in dreams begin responsibility’.”
“We have a lot of dreams ... I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of both our countries than I am today.
“As your husband would have said, ‘Believe that a further shore is reachable from here.’
“I believe the further shore is reachable. I honest to God do.”
Mr Varadkar praised the role of the United States in the Northern Ireland peace process saying: “America helped make that peace possible, and your country across the aisle has helped protect that peace in the years since.”
He also told Mr Biden: “Thank you for putting yourself on the line for Ireland on so many occasions throughout your career.
“You have made an enormous difference.”
About 160 guests were present for a banquet of Lambay Island crab cake, roast lamb and a pear and maple tart dessert.
Those present included former presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese and former taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny, along with Cabinet Ministers Eamon Ryan, Simon Coveney, Helen McEntee, Roderic O’Gorman, Norma Foley, Darragh O’Brien and Catherine Martin.
Outgoing RTÉ director general Dee Forbes, Ireland football manager Stephen Kenny, former Ireland rugby player Rob Kearney, GAA pundit Joe Brolly and footballer Stephanie Roche were also in attendance, along with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Defence Forces chief of staff Seán Clancy.
Opposition leaders Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin, Ivana Bacik of the Labour Party and the Social Democrats’ Holly Cairns were also present, as were Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer.
Politicians from the North – Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill, Colum Eastwood of the SDLP and Naomi Long of the Alliance Party – also attended, as did US politicians Richie Neal and Chris Dodd.
During the dinner was musical entertainment from fiddle player Colm Mac Con Iomaire, a member of The Frames, and singers Lisa Hannigan and Loah.
