[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 11 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[Pages 555-556]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Celebration of Ireland Dinner

March 17, 1994

    We are in the grip of the day, aren't we? [Laughter] Thank you so 
much. Prime Minister and Mrs. Reynolds and to all our guests tonight, a 
warm welcome. Ceade mile failte.
    Tonight we sought to honor the Prime Minister, his wife, and his 
family and his family of fellow Irish men and women, in a way inspired 
by the warm and convivial hospitality of the Irish themselves that they 
have brought to our shores now through the ages.
    There was a grand party in this house a long time ago, in 1829, when 
the first Irish-American was inaugurated as President of the United 
States. Andrew Jackson was the only President in our Nation's history 
whose parents were both immigrants to America. They came from 
Carrickfergus, a little town near Belfast. And their son grew up to be a 
great Democrat and a man of the people. When ``Old Hickory'', as he was 
called then, opened this house to his people, so many came that the 
furniture was crushed in the excitement. That's probably why so many of 
you have to stand tonight. [Laughter] The crowd squeezed so closely 
around the new President in the Blue Room just down the hall that he had 
to escape by jumping out a window.
    Mr. Prime Minister, we will try to control ourselves better this 
evening. [Laughter] We promise that neither you nor I will be jumping 
out of any windows.
    I wish I could recognize everyone here this evening of Irish 
descent. But perhaps I would do better to recognize everyone here who is 
not of Irish descent. [Laughter] I would like to say that the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Carol Browner, is 
here tonight with her father, who is from Limerick.
    When people think of Irish strongholds in America, they think of 
Boston or Chicago or New York. But many people from all over America, 
including my home region, come from Ireland. According to the 1980 
census, Taylorsville, Mississippi, has a higher percentage of Irish-
Americans than Boston. Of course, the total--I know what you're 
thinking--the total population is 24, but it still makes a great story. 
[Laughter] Actually that's not true. It's larger than that.
    My own mother, as John Hume, a Member of Parliament from Derry said 
today, was a Cassidy. And he assured me today that the Cassidys back in 
Ireland are a very nice family. I thank him for that courtesy inasmuch 
as I seem to have relatives turning up all over the place from time to 
time. [Laughter] To the Irish who are here, relax, the Americans will 
explain it to you later.

[[Page 556]]

    Maybe I will jump out the window, Prime Minister. [Laughter]
    This is the one day when we Americans remind ourselves that we are 
the sons and daughters of Ireland, both southerners and northerners, 
Catholic and Presbyterian, members of the Democratic and Republican 
party, although we still have a few more Irish on our side.
    When the Irish toast each other, they say, ``Slainte!'', which we 
Americans always took to mean health. But the White House did some 
research on this, and I am reliably informed that in Irish, ``Slainte!'' 
actually means health care for all. [Laughter]
    You won't believe this, but one of my erudite and overeducated staff 
members prepared another set of notes for me tonight--all in Gaelic. 
[Laughter] And I said, ``It looks like Hail Mary and the Lord's 
Prayer.'' And he said, ``That's exactly what it is.'' [Laughter]
    So for a keepsake, I'm going to give the notes to the Prime Minister 
and say that if I could say but one prayer tonight, it would be for 
peace and reconciliation in Ireland. This is truly an era of profound 
change in our world. The Middle East is courageously trying to take 
steps toward peace. And we are doing our part. South Africa is weeks 
away from its first nonracial election. Tomorrow, here in the White 
House, we will witness the signing of agreements between Bosnians and 
Croats that advance the hope for peace in that troubled region.
    Our Nation's long cooperation with Ireland has never been more 
important than today. In recent months, Prime Minister Reynolds and 
Prime Minister Major have tried to bring an end to a generation of 
troubles in Northern Ireland. Both have acted with vision and great 
political courage in putting forward the historic joint declaration last 
December. And Mr. Prime Minister, you and Prime Minister Major deserve 
our admiration and our thanks. And your declaration deserves the support 
of all people of good faith everywhere.
    It is difficult to know what to make of the latest attacks at 
Heathrow Airport. Like the violence in Hebron or in South Africa, they 
may be a simple reminder that reactionary forces will always attempt to 
kill the peace whenever the progress and the prospect of peace becomes a 
possibility. The United States condemns such acts, as it does all acts 
of terrorism. As Ireland searches for peace, I assure you that America 
remains steadfast in our support.
    Our late Ambassador to your great country, William V. Shannon, whose 
wife, Elizabeth, is here tonight and who greeted us all, wrote a 
wonderful book called, ``The American Irish'', in which he included a 
beautiful and touching note on the immigrants who came to America from 
the shamrock shores of Eire. What did they seek, he asked? The answer is 
the same for them as for all. They sought a door that would open and 
give them access to hope.
    Mr. Prime Minister, America has always been a beacon of hope to 
others around the world. But it is your pursuit of peace that is 
Ireland's hope today. When you return home, I hope you will tell the 
people of Ireland that we treasure the contributions the Irish have made 
to our country and its culture. And in return we stand with you, as you 
seek a door that would open and give all of Ireland access to the hope 
of peace.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:34 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.