Joe Biden

During the final engagement of St Patrick's Day, Mr Biden mentioned that his cousin, former rugby ace Rob Kearney, was in the audience. The US President then ...

President Biden, in your life we see reflected the story of Ireland. Niall Horan provided the post-speech entertainment, singing four songs. He admitted that he was nervous but said that he was “honoured” to represent Ireland at the event. Mr Biden turned to the rugby ace in the audience and joked, “where is the Secret Service?” The US President then said he was “looking forward” to the rugby match today. During the Shamrock Ceremony in the White House, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that US President Joe Biden is “unmistakably a son of Ireland”.

Opening in Irish, Mr Varadkar said that he was delighted to be in the White House and was grateful for the US President's support on Brexit and Ukraine.

He said that Mr Varadkar knew how many Americans look forward to St Patrick's Day. Mr Biden said that St Patrick's Day is a "big day" in his family and that he Mr Varadkar had been a "great friend to the United States". Opening in Irish, Mr Varadkar said that he was delighted to be in the White House and was grateful for the US President's support on Brexit and

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. held a bilateral meeting ahead of a St. Patrick's Day celebration with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland at the White House.

President introduces former Ireland full-back Rob Kearney, a relative, at White House St Patrick's Day event.

There was nothing but carnage left behind. [called to congratulate them](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/13/biden-ireland-rugby-union-new-zealand) when they [won](https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1459660655636750336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1459660655636750336%7Ctwgr%5Ed049936711df97f403562d3a61db8a61d2ef2683%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2021%2Fnov%2F13%2Fbiden-ireland-rugby-union-new-zealand). Last week, France beat a struggling England team 53-10 at Twickenham. [no secret](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/23/joe-biden-rugby-fan-mlr-ireland-all-blacks-syracuse-law-school) of his love for rugby union, which he has said he played for a year at law school in Syracuse, New York, in the late 1960s. They beat their nearest challengers, France, in a pulsating game at home last month. [Leo Varadkar](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/17/leo-varadkar-apologises-for-apparent-clinton-lewinsky-joke), to the White House for a traditional visit and talks.

US president Joe Biden urged all five Northern Ireland leaders to get back around the table to achieve new progress for the people.

[Mary Lou McDonald](https://www.independent.ie/topics/mary-lou-mcdonald-40346947/), Michelle O’Neill, Colum Eastwood, Naomi Long, Doug Beattie and Jeffrey Donaldson were all addressed by Mr Biden as he addressed the traditional St Patrick’s Day Speaker’s Lunch on Capitol Hill. Mr Varadkar said he and partner Matt Barrett were members of the LGBTQ+ community who had seen rapid progress since the Stonewall riots in New York City, a site he has previously visited. “I really want to thank you for your help and support and understanding for our position on Brexit in recent years, it really made a difference and we’ve got to a good place now, I think, with the Windsor Framework, where we can have an agreement that lasts which is important for Northern Ireland, and also important for British, Irish and European relations,” Mr Varadkar said. Speaking as Seachtain na Gaeilge drew to a close, he switched to Irish to thank Mr Biden for the US’s help over Brexit, for its support of Ukraine, and he referred to excitement in Ireland at Mr Biden’s forthcoming visit. It is believed to be the first time a Taoiseach has spoken in Irish in the Oval Office. Meanwhile Irish was spoken in the Oval Office for the first time yesterday as Mr Varadkar used our first national language at his meeting with the US president.

US President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind Ireland's bid to complete the Six Nations Grand Slam...

His support of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, however, is likely to be welcomed by fans of the sport in both the US and Ireland. Ireland are four from four in the Six Nations and victory against England would secure their first Grand Slam since 2018. Speaking at a St Patrick’s Day engagement in Washington, Mr Biden introduced his distant relative and former Ireland and Lions fullback Rob Kearney.