Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 / Mar. 17

These are the things that we try to do. So be in even better shape than it is today thanks when you go home tonight, before you go to to the support of people like you. bed, I want you to think about why did I come Thank you very much. to this dinner? Why did I do that? Why did I show up there? Why didn’t I stay home and watch pro basketball or whatever? And I hope that the reasons will be part of your vision for NOTE: The President spoke at 10:12 p.m. in the America in the 21st century. South Drawing Room at the Decatur House. In I’m grateful for what we’ve achieved, but what his remarks, he referred to Leonard Barrack, na- we’ve achieved simply imposes on us an even tional finance chair, and Steve Grossman, national greater obligation to use the success of the chair, Democratic National Committee; Mayor country, the confidence of the country, the Richard Riordan of Los Angeles; Mayor Lee R. elbow room that this kind of new prosperity Clancey of Cedar Rapids, IA; Gov. Cecil H. gives us, to really look at the long-term chal- Underwood of West Virginia; Gov. Parris N. lenges our people face and to meet them. Glendening of Maryland; Rudy Crew, chancellor, We’ve got 3 years to do it, and I am con- public schools; and Wilmer Cody, vinced that 3 years from now this country will Kentucky commissioner of education.

Remarks at a Saint Patrick’s Day Ceremony With Prime Minister of Ireland March 17, 1998

President Clinton. Good morning. Please be The and Ireland are countries seated everyone. This is a wonderful day for which enjoy long-established bonds stemming all of us here at the . It’s a great from our intertwined history. And as you gener- pleasure to welcome the here. Bertie ously acknowledged, Mr. President, Irish-Ameri- Ahern has given great leadership to the people cans historically and still today have enriched of Ireland and to the peace process. This is Americans’ way of life with the values of their his first St. Patrick’s Day here since assuming heritage: love of family, faith, and hard work, office, and we’re very grateful for his presence. a devotion to community, and compassion for We welcome him. those in need. They are things that we still And I want to turn the platform over to you. live dear to. And for its part, the United States Thank you. has been a constant resource of inspiration and Prime Minister Ahern. Thank you very much, support as Ireland has navigated its sometimes President and Vice President. It’s a great honor difficult history. for me to be here, my first opportunity as Taoiseach of the , to be at the White And that solidarity is as vital today as it was House on St. Patrick’s Day. I’m delighted to during the , which we’ve cele- participate in this wonderful ceremony and to brated in the last few years, of 1845 to 1848, present to you some shamrocks from the land when the United States gave a new home and of your forebears. a new future to hundreds of thousands of Irish The presentation of shamrocks to the Presi- men and women. And the ties between our two dent of United States is a very apt symbol of countries, Mr. President, are now, of course, very close and friendly relations between our copper-fastened by an extremely vibrant eco- two countries. St. Patrick used the shamrock nomic relationship. And the flows of trade, in- as a religious symbol of unity and diversity, simi- vestment, and tourism between Ireland and the lar to the motto of the United States, e pluribus unum. And it remains a potent, unifying symbol, which is embraced by both traditions on the island of Ireland.

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United States have reached unprecedented lev- Mr. President, I want to thank you for every- els. U.S. investment has made a crucial contribu- thing you’ve done. I want to thank you for all tion to Ireland’s current prosperity. And equally, that you’ve contributed to the cause of peace as a very profitable location for investment, Ire- in . And in presenting you with land has contributed to cooperate and to assist the unifying symbol of shamrock, I wish you corporate wealth of many great U.S. companies. and your family a very happy St. Patrick’s Day. Mr. President, I’m very conscious that the [At this point, Prime Minister Ahern made brief principle of unity and diversity has been one remarks in Gaelic and presented the President of the major domestic themes of your Presi- with a bowl of shamrocks.] dency. The leadership that you have provided President Clinton. Thank you very much, on this theme has been inspiring, not only with- Taoiseach, and thank you for the bowl of sham- in the United States but also internationally, rocks. We will proudly display it as a lasting where it has an immediate renaissance in places symbol of our shared values and common herit- such as Bosnia and Middle East and, of course, age. in Northern Ireland. I think I should say, in the interest of full And in Northern Ireland, your inspiring vision disclosure, that my Cassidy relatives in Ireland of peace, based on the acceptance of diversity, sent me these cufflinks and this tie to wear has been matched by your constant support for on this day, so that I would be properly attired a process which has experienced its shares of for your visit. [Laughter] ups and downs. And you’ve been true to your Since last St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland has cho- promise made here a number of years ago, that sen not only a new Prime Minister but also you would be a friend of Ireland, not just on a new President, Mary McAleese of , the St. Patrick’s Day but every day. And your act first Northerner to hold that office. We also of support for the process has not only been share Ireland’s pride in the fact that President constant but also impeccably fair and balanced. McAleese’s predecessor, our good friend Mary And for that, I want to thank you. Robinson, now serves as United Nations Human The encouragement, the access which you and Rights Commissioner. your administration have provided to all of the I also want to acknowledge the announcement participants and that your administration has by a great friend of Ireland and great Ambas- provided for all of us has inspired us all in sador, , that she intends good days and sustained us on bad ones. And to leave Dublin this summer. We thank you perhaps the greatest resource that you have for your dedicated principled service to our given us is Senator George Mitchell, who in country. his chairmanship of the talks so aptly represents Mr. Prime Minister, our cultures have en- the qualities of good will, of wisdom, impar- riched one another time and again as impas- tiality, and tenacity which the United States has sioned voices called back and forth across the brought to the Irish peace process. Atlantic. Just as generations of American writers We’re now entering, President, as we’ve spo- have been inspired by Yeats, Joyce, and Beckett, ken this morning, a decisive period in the talks. the great Irish musician Van Morrison sings of The core issues have been well and truly aired growing up in Belfast, reading Jack Kerouac over the past months. As George has said re- while a distant radio signal played Louis Arm- cently, we are now in the end game; success strong, Sidney Bechet, and Hank Williams. will require courage, a willingness to com- Last year an Irish-American, a retired high promise, and perhaps above all, a generous vi- school teacher named Frank McCourt, won our sion which transcended partnership, focuses on Pulitzer Prize for his remarkable ‘‘Angela’s the common interest of all who are in the talks Ashes,’’ a memoir of growing up poor in Lim- and all who share it. erick and New York City in the 1930’s and ’40’s. Our task will be greatly assisted by the contin- This writing pulls no punches, a fact admirers ued support and encouragement which we know and critics in both of our countries have been that we can count on from you, Mr. President, quick to note. But his Limerick and his Ireland and from Mrs. Clinton, from your administra- have changed. We are delighted that Ireland tion, and from our friends on both sides of has enjoyed the best run of economic growth the aisle of Congress. in the developed world during this decade, just

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as America continues to profit from the labors peaceful, just solution that the vast majority of of your sons and daughters. the people in Ireland, whom I was privileged This is a holiday, a day for laughter and cele- to see in late 1995, clearly still want. bration. But let me say something about which As they negotiate, the parties, too, must con- we are all very serious. Northern Ireland now tinue to demonstrate by words and deeds that has an unparalleled opportunity for a just and they reject violence. They must do everything lasting peace. The Taoiseach and his government possible to prevent further bloodshed. and Tony Blair and the British Government Here on the edge of the 21st century, there have gone the extra mile to create an atmos- is a growing global community of people com- phere in which negotiations can succeed. mitted to peace, to democracy, to social justice, George Mitchell has been a very distinguished to putting the divisions of the past of religion chairman of the peace talks, and we thank you and race, of ethnicity and tribe behind them. for your comments, Taoiseach. From Guatemala to Mozambique, even now to During these St. Patrick’s Day events, I will Bosnia, the unceasing desire of people for a speak with the party leaders who have come peaceful, decent life is overcoming the forces here to Washington. I will tell all of them on of hate and bigotry and violence. Ireland, its all sides the same thing. I will say it as clearly leaders, and its peacekeeping forces have helped and emphatically as I possibly can: This is the to contribute to the progress of this peace all chance of a lifetime for peace in Ireland. You around the world. There has not been a day must get it done. You must do it for yourselves in the last four decades when an Irish peace- and your children. It is too late for those who keeper has not been somewhere on duty as a have already been killed by the sectarian vio- sentinel for peace in a distant part of the world. lence of the last three decades. But you can Now, all the people on the island of Ireland do it, and you must, now. can be sentinels for peace, if only their leaders To get an agreement, there must be com- will make the principled agreements necessary promise. No party can achieve all its objectives. to give them that chance. The party leaders must lead, and leading means Again, let me say, the days I spent in Ireland looking forward. And it means being strong in 1995 are perhaps the most memorable days enough to make principled compromise. Con- of my life. As we rejoice today in the spirit cessions that today might seem hard to accept of St. Patrick, the heritage of Irish and Irish- will seem so much less important in the light American people, let us remember what the of an accord that brings hope and peace and spirit of St. Patrick was and how he became an end to violence. No one will be the loser the first and only person ever to bring Christi- if agreement is reached. Everyone will benefit anity to a distant, alien place without the sword. from a chance to build a peaceful future. The And let us bring a future to Ireland worthy parties must look at the larger picture, to the of that great achievement of St. Patrick. ultimate goal: a Northern Ireland for all, free Thank you, and God bless you all. of cowardly acts of violence, free of the division and despair that have robbed too many children of their futures for too long. NOTE: The President spoke at 10:45 a.m. in the Mr. Prime Minister, today you ask me to stay Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his re- personally involved in the peace process. I will marks, he referred to former Senator George J. do everything I can. The United States will con- Mitchell, independent chairman of the multi- tinue to stand firmly against extremists on both party talks in Northern Ireland; and Prime Min- sides who want to use violence to thwart a ister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom.

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