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DUBLIN — President Joe Biden has spoken proudly about his Irish roots on his first day in Ireland. A gaffe he made in an Irish pub sparked controversy across English waters.
Biden paid tribute to his cousin Rob Carney on Wednesday. Rob Kearney is the rugby player whose side Ireland’s national team defeated his side New Zealand’s dominant All Blacks in 2016. However, he referred to “Black and Tans” instead. to fight the Irish Republican Army in the 1920s.
“He’s a tremendous rugby player and he beat the Black and Tans,” Biden said near the end of his speech at The Windsor Bar and Restaurant in Dundalk, Ireland.
The mistake has thrown Biden off a delicate balance by trying to soak up his Irish ancestry and move away from historical political grudges during his four-day swing to Britain and Ireland.
In another accident during the trip, Northern Ireland police lost documents containing sensitive information such as police names and assignments related to Biden’s security in Belfast.
Biden attacks his poorly publicized British legacy
The White House has since corrected the “Black and Tans” error in the official record of the president’s remarks.
Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, said Biden’s message was clear.
“I think it was incredibly clear to everyone in Ireland who is a rugby fan that the President was talking about the All Blacks and Ireland’s defeat of the New Zealand team in 2016.” It was clear to his cousin who sat next to him who played in that match.”
After touting the values instilled by his Irish-American mother, Mr Biden said the “saving grace” of his father of British ancestry was that “a quarter of his family was Hannafi from Galway. He said. He added, “You know, Biden is British. I hate to say that. I don’t hate it – I’m joking – but it’s true.”
Ten of Biden’s maternal great-grandparents are Irish, while his father, Joseph R. Biden Sr., has British and French ancestry.
The British tabloid Daily Mail highlighted Biden’s comments, pointing to past remarks he made about Britain with the headline “President Joe Biden has always downplayed his British heritage.”
Biden speaks to Irish parliament
- Biden meets with Irish leader: On Thursday, Biden is scheduled to address the House of Commons in Ireland’s parliament, the Oirichitas. He will hold informal meetings with Irish President Michael Higgins, followed by a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
- signed book: At Higgins’ official residence, Biden signed the guestbook and nodded to his Irish roots.
- Peace Bell: Biden will also participate in the tree planting ceremony and the ringing of the peace bell at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
- Banquet dinner: The Presidents’ Evening concludes with a banquet at Dublin Castle.
- Itinerary shift: Biden spent Wednesday attending less formal events, including pub gatherings and a tour of 12th-century Carlingford Castle. I travel to Mayo where I used to live.
How Biden’s Irish roots shaped his political identity
Biden has completely displaced his Irish-American heritage since arriving in Ireland Wednesday afternoon after a brief stay in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He traveled to County Louth, off the east coast of Ireland, where his late mother’s Finnegan ancestors lived before emigrating to the United States in the 1850s.
Biden is known for his regular recitation of Irish proverbs, poetry, humor, and ancestral tales that appeal to the public, among other things.
Mr Biden told an employee at a local deli in Dundalk, Ireland, “I don’t understand why my ancestors were left here.” “
“It feels like coming home,” he said when he toured Carlingford Castle.
more:‘Northern Ireland won’t go back’: Biden calls for lasting peace amid political unrest
more:‘Simple Dignity’: How President Biden’s Visit to Ireland Tells the Story of Hometown ‘Blue Collar Joe’
Biden is using his Irish-American identity to champion hardworking Americans. He’s a little guy fighting the odds who believes he deserves a chance even without the financial resources.
“Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity,” Biden said in a speech at Windsor Bar in Dunbork, later adding that “hope is what beats the hearts of all people, especially Irish people.”
“I often say that only the Irish, in my view, are really nostalgic for the future.”
Reach out to Joey Garrison on Twitter @Joeygarrison.
Contributor: Michael Collins
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