President Biden’s public schedule for Friday 04/14/2023:
| 5:45 AM | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time (10:45 AM Local) Conrad Hotel, Dublin, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 6:45 AM | The President departs Dublin, Ireland en route to County Mayo, Ireland (11:45 AM Local) Dublin International Airport, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 8:15 AM | The President arrives in County Mayo, Ireland (1:15 PM Local) Ireland West Airport Knock, Charlestown, Ireland Open Press |
| 9:00 AM | The President tours The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock (2:00 PM Local) Knock Shrine, Knock, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 10:30 AM | The President tours Mayo Roscommon Hospice (3:30 PM Local) Mayo Roscommon Hospice, Knock, Ireland Closed Press |
| 11:45 AM | The President departs en route to North Mayo Heritage Center Landing Zone (4:15 PM Local) Atlantic Technological University, Letterkenny, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 12:15 PM | The President arrives at North Mayo Heritage Center Landing Zone (5:15 PM Local) North Mayo Heritage Center, Ballina, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 12:30 PM | The President visits the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre’s Family History Research Unit (5:30 PM Local) North Mayo Heritage Center, Ballina, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 3:25 PM | The President departs en route to Saint Muredach’s College Landing Zone (8:25 PM Local) North Mayo Heritage Center, Ballina, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 3:40 PM | The President arrives at Saint Muredach’s College Landing Zone (8:40 PM Local) Saint Muredach’s College, Ballina, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 4:15 PM Remarks | The President delivers remarks to the people of County Mayo (9:15 PM Local) Saint Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina, Ireland Open Press |
| 5:40 PM | The President departs en route to Ireland West Airport Knock (10:40 PM Local) Saint Muredach’s College, Ballina, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 6:05 PM | The President departs County Mayo, Ireland en route to Dublin, Ireland (11:05 PM Local) Ireland West Airport Knock, Kilgariff, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
| 7:05 PM | The President departs Dublin, Ireland en route to Dover, Delaware (12:05 AM 4/15 Local) Dublin International Airport, Ireland Out-of-Town Pool |
President Biden Delivers Remarks to the People of County Mayo are scheduled for 4:15 p.m. D.C., time.
Jumping right in…
Ireland Tweets
From Thursday…
The YouTube is 43 minutes and 57 seconds long. President Biden begins his address at the 12 minute and 15 second mark. His address concludes at the 42 minute and 32 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
Address to the Houses of the Oireachtas (04/13/2023).
President Biden:
The Irish hearts that helped kindle the torch of liberty in my country and fire its revolutionary spirit.
The Irish blood from across this island that was willingly given for my country’s independence.
The Irish hands that laid the foundations of a new kind of future, one from the bottom up and the middle out, one built on freedom.
[snip]
But it’s history that speaks, above all, to the values that sustained these people throughout their hardships in their lives. Freedom. Equality. Dignity. Family. Courage.
[snip]
These are the values that were handed down generation-to-generation in my family, grafted onto the American character, tended as they transformed an entire nation.
Like so many countries around the world, though perhaps more than most, the United States was shaped by Ireland. And that’s not hyperbole; that’s a fact. And the values we share remain, to this day, the core of our historic partnership between our people and our governments.
[snip]
We’re nations that know what it means to persevere for freedom, to brave a civil war, to toil in the vineyards of democracy. And that’s, again, not hyperbole; it’s a fact. It’s a fact. It’s not just the hope but the conviction that better days lie ahead that brought us along.
[snip]
But, as the poet Boland wrote in her poem “Mother Ireland,” she said:
“I[’ve] learned my name.
I rise — I rose up. I remembered it.
Now — now I could tell my story.
It was different
from the [stories] told about me.”End of quote.
Today, Ireland’s story is no one’s to tell but its own.
But the United States will be your closest partner, your most dependable partner, and your most enthusiastic supporter of every step of the way, I promise you. We’ve always been — and we’ve been together.
[snip]
I say all this not to wax poetic about bygone days but because of the story of my family’s journey — and those who left and those who stayed — is emblematic of the stories of so many Irish and American families, not just Irish American families.
[snip]
They speak to a history defined by our dreams. They speak to a present written by our shared responsibility. And they speak to a future poised for unlimited, shared possibilities.
[snip]
Like so many countries around the world, though perhaps more than most, the United States was shaped by Ireland. And that’s not hyperbole; that’s a fact. And the values we share remain, to this day, the core of our historic partnership between our people and our governments.
[snip]
So today, ladies and gentlemen, as we celebrate the enduring partnership between our nations, our shared past, our present, let’s set our eyes squarely on the future.
[snip]
Let’s once more, for our generation and generations to come, strive to make hope and history rhyme.
[snip]
Because you know what it means to fight for democracy. Today, Ireland and the United States are standing together to oppose Russia’s brutal aggression and support the brave people of Ukraine. (Applause.) I spent many days in Ukraine.
White House.gov. 04/13/2023.
The 1st video clip is 1 minute and 19 seconds long. It’s snips of his tour of Carlingford Castle. I will not be providing a transcript.
The 2nd video clip is 24 seconds long. The bagpipes play and President Biden thanks before he poses for some pictures with Carlingford Pipe Band. The clips ends with President Biden saying; Every time I’d walk out of my grandfather Finnegan’s house in this area, he’d say “Joey, keep the faith,” and my grandmother would yell, “no Joey, spread it.”
The YouTube is 23 minutes and 7 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 8 minute and 28 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
Toaiseach Leo Varadkar and President Biden offered short remarks prior to their bilateral meeting:
TAOISEACH VARADKAR: Mr. President, really good to welcome you again to — to Farmleigh. I was saying that we — we last met here, I think, back in 2017, in a different time. That was a private visit.
White House.gov. 04/13/2023.
But it’s wonderful to have you back in Ireland. And I think the visit has been going extremely well, and you very much grace us with your presence. And look forward to the meeting later on.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, it was great to see you in — on St. Patrick’s Day. It was great to see you in Washington. You know, I think there is a — there really is an opportunity to make serious progress not just because of the accords that were signed 25 years ago, but I mean just in terms of the way you’re leading Ireland.
Ireland is moving in the way that is taking its place in the world, that is working on helping countries around the world that are dealing with starvation. And the way you‘ve welcomed — and I know it’s not easy — welcomed Ukrainians here, and the leadership you’ve shown.
And I just think that it feels so good to be able to have this emerging and stronger and stronger relationship between the United States and Ireland. I think our values are — are the same, and I think our concerns are the same.
So I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with you.
TAOISEACH VARADKAR: Thank you. And look forward la- — later on to hearing about your visit to Belfast and your — your meeting with the party leaders. We’re — we’re very keen to see the Good Friday Agreement institutions functioning again. And Prime Minister Sunak and I are going to be working together on that.
But really want to thank you and your administration and your country’s leadership when it comes to Ukraine, because I never thought in my lifetime that we’d see a war of this nature happen in Europe again.
And democracy and liberty and the things that we believe in are on retreat — are in retreat in large parts of the world. And if it wasn’t for American leadership and if it wasn’t for America and Europe working together, I don’t know what kind of world we’d live in.
So we — we really do appreciate your — your leadership and your personal leadership, both in terms of securing peace in Ireland, but also in trying to protect democracy and liberty here in Europe.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, I think what you and Prime Minister Sunak worked out in terms of the other accords was — was very valuable as well. So I’m looking forward to talking to you about a lot of this in detail.
Thank you.
The White House posted the following meeting readout:
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach of Ireland, in Dublin. The leaders underscored the strong and historic connections between our governments and peoples, including the robust trade and investment links. They discussed U.S.-Irish cooperation on a range of global issues, including food security, the challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China, and our continued support for Ukraine. The leaders also marked the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and reaffirmed their steadfast support for preserving and expanding its peace dividend.
White House.gov. 04/13/2023.
From Friday…
Banquet Dinner Remarks (04/13/2023).
Semi-related;
President Biden:
You know, for — for countries like ours and our people have always marched forward — (coughs) — excuse me — toward better futures: one of greater liberty and one, which is a word — I’ve said this many times to all of you — a word I hear more among Irish at home and Irish that are here — the word “dignity.” The word “dignity” seems to be used by the Irish more than any other word. I may be wrong about that.
But, you know, it’s always a march toward a better future — one of greater liberty, greater dignity, of greater equality and opportunity and possibility for everybody — possibility for anyb- — everybody.[snip]
There’s nothing, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — there’s nothing our nations can’t achieve if we do it together. I really mean it.
White House.gov. 04/13/2023.
The video clip is 6 minutes and 8 seconds long. It features people of Ireland preparing for President Biden’s arrival. I will not be transcribing the video. I will say the folks featured in the clip were all very excited that President Biden was visiting Ireland.
I did bookmark some tweets:
Tuesday 04/11/2023:
Wednesday 04/12/2023:
This is an Open Thread.
P.S.
Not to ruin the weekend but federal taxes are due Tuesday 04/18/2023; the 15th is Saturday and the 17th is Emancipation Day in D.C..
According to the IRS, “by law, Washington, DC, holidays impact tax deadlines for everyone in the same way federal holidays do.”
The agency has, however, delayed the filing deadline in states impacted by severe weather conditions over the past several months.
- New York residents impacted by winter storms and snowstorms in December have until May 15, 2023, to file their returns and make payments.
- Taxpayers in Mississippi affected by tornadoes and severe storms in March now have until July 31, 2023.
- Due to storms, mudslides and other natural disasters this winter, the IRS has also given residents of Alabama, California and Georgia until Oct. 16, 2023, to file federal returns and make payments.
The updated list of localities eligible for extensions is available on the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations website.
