Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, a congressional group known as the Friends of Ireland celebrates the holiday with a luncheon, which is usually attended by the president and vice president. For the past few years, President Barack Obama has always began his speech chock full of references to his Irish heritage. This shows not only his support for Ireland, but also on a personal note, his love for the country of his heritage. President Obama’s pride has come under derision in the past, many dismissing him for both his skin color and his decidedly non-Irish sounding name. This is quite different from the ever-careful Woodrow Wilson, who never really took a stance on the problems in Ireland during his presidency. This seems to signal a sort of domestication of the Uprising, that it is not nearly so controversial than it was a hundred years ago. The passage of time appears to have softened the public’s view on the Rising, and many points of view that were initially uncaring and skeptical have given way to overwhelming positivity directed towards it.
In this year’s speech, President Obama focused on the importance of the brotherhood between men, whether it be in America, Ireland, or elsewhere. He also made remarks concerning the importance of accepting those who immigrate to America, which was important to note since many early Irish immigrants were not accepted initially. To find out more about how they were treated, visit this page. This speech shows a much more progressive view than from the norm 100 years ago. In other St. Patrick’s Day speeches, Obama was quick to make sure that he hopes that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can set aside their differences and unite. As to whether he means to unite as one nation, or to unite in the simple sense of brotherhood is unclear.
Another important leader who spoke about the centennial anniversary was Mayor Bill De Blasio of New York City. The City was and still remains the highest concentration of Irish Americans in the United States. Mayor De Blasio, himself of Italian heritage, spoke at the Rockaway’s St. Patrick Day parade, and in his speech made sure that the 1916 uprising did not go unmentioned. Instead of taking a more passive opinion on the matter, De Blasio made sure that his feelings were well known, stating that the uprising was a prime example of people who were fighting for their freedom. For De Blasio, this was just the regular Irish spirit, and it showed how the Irish people are willing to fight for what they believe in no matter the cost. He then went on to say that although the Irish are not discriminated against in America today nearly as much today, it was not always this way. De Blasio thanked the people who work towards remembering those Irish people who lived a tough life in America and to continue with the Irish tradition.
As can be seen in the video below De Blasio, who hosted a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, he reiterated his support for Irish and Irish Americans in a different setting; this time form Gracie mansion. From the beginning of his speech to about the 6 minute mark, you can see that De Blasio once again supports his opinion about the uprising. He believes that the 1916 uprising was not only important for the people of Ireland who fought “against colonialism in their homeland”, but also important for people around the world. The mayor believes that they serve as inspiration for people all over the world.
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