Tag Archives: Bridging the Atlantic

McEntee comments on House ‘censorship’ allegations

This post has been revised from our live blog of the Feb. 4 “Bridging the Atlantic VII” conference at Georgetown University. MH

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Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee, TD, has addressed the House Judiciary Report ​report allegations of “harassment” and “censorship” by the EU and Coimisiún na Meán against tech groups to undermine conservative and populist parties.​

McEntee would not take my question about the matter after her keynote speech at Georgetown’s seventh annual “Bridging the Atlantic” conference. Her press counselor did not return an emailed follow up.

McEntee confirmed to the Irish Times that she discussed the issue with US trade ambassador Jamieson Grier. She stressed Ireland’s position that the regulations are designed to protect young people, according to the Times, which quoted her saying:

“I think there are certain elements of this that we don’t agree on. And for me it’s important that we engage on the areas we disagree on. I think what we all agree on is that, irrespective of whether someone is online or offline, they are protected. It’s about engaging and looking at how we can resolve those differences and I certainly think there is a view from the US that perhaps, you know, we could not deregulate. There is an element of red tape that could be removed and Ireland has been very clear that that’s something we want to see happen.”

During her Georgetown speech, McEntee said US challenges to Greenland’s sovereignty are “unacceptable.” Say said that any framing of Ireland having to decide between the US and EU is “rubbish.”

Ireland will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year. McEntee says Ireland has a strong committment to international law and believes in the United Nations.

“There is a risk of looking back with rose-tinted glasses to a past that never reallys existed,” McEntee said, echoing earlier conference panelists.

McEntee is a Fine Gael politician from Meath East. She was first elected in 2013, replacing her father in the constituency. She is also Ireland’s Minister of Defense, the first woman to hold the two ministerial roles.

McEntee said she met earlier today with members of Congress from both US parties on a variety of issues. Despite challenges to the US-Irish relationship, “more unites us than divides us,” she said.

New staff being added to Irish embassies in DC and throughout the US. “The St. Patrick’s Day program this year will be the most ambitious ever,” McEntee said.

“What once felt settled is being fundamentally tested,” she said. “I don’t take lightly the scale of what is going on around us. But our relationship will get us through any challenges.”

(An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that Ireland would chair the UN Security Council later this year. That has been corrected to presidency of the Council of the European Union.)

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee, TD.

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Here is some of my live coverage from the conference panels.

Carolyn Gallagher and Kimberly Cowell-Meyers, both of American University, discuss Building a Green Wall: Irish America’s Resurgence Post-Brexit. Their 2025 book explores how Irish American interested lobbied to stop a hard border on the island of Ireland resulting from Brexit. Mary Murphy of Boston College says Sinn Fein’s efforts for united Ireland face strong headwinds in the US. Things are much different today compared to the Northern Ireland peace process of the 1990s or the post-Brexit border issue. … Ireland as a small state is also loosing agency on other issues in the disrupted international order, she said.

“The New Worlds of 21st Century Irish-America’ panel, left to right: moderator Liam Kennedy (University College Dublin); Carolyn Gallagher (American University); Kimberly Cowell-Meyers (American University); and Mary Murphy (Boston College).

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Discussing United Irishmen and Young Ireland impacts in Ireland and the USA. … Many Irish in America was said to be members of radical and revolutionary groups in Ireland … but they really weren’t, Anbinder says.

The 1912 US election resulted in 43 Irish American congressmen, four Irish American US senators, four Irish American governors, and one Irish American president (Woodrow Wilson), according to Meagher. Only two of the congressmen were native born Irishmen, the rest were second generation Irish Americans. All were generally wary of getting involved in Irish politics. “Tammy Hall doesn’t pay a lot of attention to Irish nationalism,” Meagher said. That changed after the 1916 Rising.

Revolutionary Routes Across the Atlantic: 1776 and Beyond panel: left to right: Moderator Tyler Anbinder (George Washington University); Tim Meagher (Catholic University); Hannah Nolan (University of Maryland); and Chris Morash (Embassy of Ireland).

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Cian T. McMahon, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, historian noted that most scholarship of the Irish in America is focused on the 19th and 20th century, not the 18th century. New York University historian Marion Casey said Ulster Scots were not the only Irish in colonial America, as typically portrayed. Members of British Army in the colonies included Irish from across the island. The US also was a convict dumping ground for the empire. “The 18th century cannot be pigeon holed as one thing,” Casey said.

McMahon said historians should focus on “stories,” plural, not a single “story” of the Irish in America. “I don’t think that’s what happening on the America 250 website,” he said, which is focused on “our American story,” singular. He said the US commemoration should not be about one national ideal, but a set of debates about multiple ideals.

“America250: American Lives, Irish Legacies” panel, left to right: Cian T. McMahon (University of Nevada, Las Vegas); Marion Casey (New York University); Darragh Gannon (Georgetown University); and moderator Caitríona Perry (BBC News).

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In opening remarks, Cóilín Parsons, director of Georgetown’s Global Irish Studies program, noted this year’s conference will focus on the past more than contemporary issues. He acknowledged the US-Irish (and EU) relationship is currently “under duress.” That’s all the more reason for an honest exploration of the foundations of the relationship beyond “some gauzy dream of friendship.”

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I’m at Georgetown University’s “Bridging the Atlantic VII” conference in Washinton, DC. This year’s event will explore 250 years of US-Irish relations. I am live blogging the event throughout the day. Email subscribers should check the website to see the updates. Here’s our coverage of last year’s event.

‘America and Ireland at 250’ focus of Feb. 4 Georgetown conference

Georgetown University’s Global Irish Studies program and other partners will explore 250 years of US-Irish relations during the 7th annual “Bridging the Atlantic” conference. I will live blog the Feb. 4 event from the university’s Capitol Campus in Washington, D.C.

Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee, TD, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address. Panel discussions include “America 250: American Lives, Irish Legacies”, “Revolutionary Routes Across the Atlantic: 1776 and Beyond”, “The New Worlds of 21st Century Irish-America”, and “Re-imagining the ‘Green Wave’: Cultural Visions of Ireland in America.”

Panel participant rosters and registration found here.

Georgetown’s conference partners include the BMW Center for German and European Studies, in association with the Embassy of Ireland, the Clinton Institute at University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, and the Northern Ireland Bureau.

One of the panels at last year’s Bridging the Atlantic VI conference.

Georgetown conference explores US-Irish relations

I’m closing the live blog. Thanks for following today. MH

Ted Smyth of the University College Dublin Clinton Institute is closing the conference. He disagrees with the view–expressed more than once today–that Joe Biden was the last Irish-American president. Smyth says the conference will return to Georgetown next year. Videos of the first five conferences can be found here. I’m sure today’s sessions will be added soon.

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The panel is discussing the challenges of making history relevant to contemporary audiences. The characteristics of Irish (or Irish American) audiences is much different than 20 years ago, Stack noted. “We need to grapple with how we talk to our audience,” she said. “They are coming from a different Ireland. It can’t be all shamrocks and shillelaghs.” Ó Dochartaig said there is a need to expand oral history collections that are project focused and scholarship focused. The Irish who immigrated to the US in the 1980s, for example, will not be around in 20 years.

Ó Dochartaigh says the Troubles raised interest in Ireland beyond the Irish-American diaspora, including academia and business interests. He mention the profound swing from President John F. Kennedy’s indifference to Northern Ireland in 1963, when he visited the Republic, to the engagement of his brother, Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy, in the 1980s and 1990s, and other politicians in solving the crisis in the North. “The level of involvement was extraordinary.”

Stack notes there was no recruitment of Irish Americans to fight in the 1916 Rising–before the US entered the First World War. The Irish mostly wanted money, she said.

Anbinder says the Famine Irish were not the “poorest of the poor,” and their economic success in America happened more rapidly than scholars previously believed. Some of this narrative come from the Irish themselves, who exaggerating how deep a hole they climbed out of to highlight how much they achieved.

Left to right: Prof. Niall Ó Dochartaigh, University of Galway; Dr. Elizabeth Stack, Director of the American Irish Historical Society; and Prof. Tyler Anbinder, The George Washington University. The moderator at right is Prof. Darragh Gannon, Associate Director of Global Irish Studies, Georgetown University.

The last panel is, “Looking Back, Looking Forward: 100 Years of Irish–US Relations.” In 1924 Irish professor Timothy A. Smiddy became the first foreign minister to represent the Irish Free State in the United States. See my post, ‘Special relationship’ or the fading of the green?

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Scanlon acknowledge the power of Irish America is “changing … evolving over time.” But strong Irish studies and exchange programs help to maintain the connections. “The power of the relationship since Brexit has became really clear,” she said. Fallon suggested some of the dilution is offset by Ireland playing a larger role in an ever-shrinking world. “And Americans without Irish heritage are visiting Ireland in droves, which contributes to the relationship,” he said.

Ireland is working more directly with state and local economic development groups and private companies rather than US officials. There is about $150 billion in direct foreign investment in the USA from Ireland. … Scanlon said she expects tension over Trump’s effort to make big tech and big pharma companies with operations in Ireland return to the USA. That’s because several of the billionaires who have his ear have interests in Ireland. She did not name anyone.

Both members of Congress agree that Ireland will remain neutral for the short and medium term, as indicated by polling in Ireland. Fallon noted Finland and Ireland have about the same population, 5.5 million. But the former is part of NATO and can ready 800,000 troops. Ireland can’t reach its goal of 11,500.

Scanlon defends post-World War II order that Trump administration appears to be turning from. “It’s much better for our country and for Ireland to protect global security and democracy.” Fallon notes it’s a much different world from 1946, not just US and communist. “Now we live in a very asymmetrical world.” He says NATO will be strengthened if all the members pay their agreed 2 percent of GDP.

Prof. Scott Lucas, University College Dublin Clinton Institute, seated at left, introduces Scanlon, left, and Fallon on video conference.

We’re waiting on the next panel: “The View from Capitol Hill: What Next for the Transatlantic Political Relationship?” with U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA 5th) and Pat Fallon (R-TX 4th).

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Responding to an audience question, Richardson agreed there is a diminishment of cultural affinity between the US and Ireland. It is not as strong as it was through the twentieth century, especially when so much attention focused on bringing peace to Northern Ireland. “People are well-disposed to Ireland, but not enough to sacrifice or jeopardize their own interests,” she said. “The culture affinity is pretty soft. Ireland will not be able to rely on it in the future like it has in the past.”

Richardson, a Waterford native, said she has an Irish worldview despite not living in the country since completing her undergraduate degree at Trinity College Dublin in 1980. “Catholicism bred internationalism,” she said. “You learn about the world. The nuns taught a notion of equality with others, including the starving children in Africa.” But she has no desire to return to Ireland.

Richardson has praised Ireland from welcoming Ukrainian refugees, as compared to the backlash in the United Kingdom.

On Irish sympathy for the Palestinians, and resulting trouble with Israel. “Ireland as a small victim of colonialism tends to identify with other victims of colonialism,” Richardson said. “Ireland could have a values-based foreign policy because it was a small, poor country. It could afford to take principled positions because it didn’t have to make trade offs. Ireland hasn’t had to pay a price for these positions.” That is likely to change. “I expect the Trump administration to be much less sympathetic to Ireland.”

Ireland will feel more pressure, from the US and from Europe, to shift from its historic neutral stance. “Ireland leaves itself open to criticism of being a free rider,” Richardson said. This especially true when Ireland is running budget surpluses.

“From Trump onward, American presidents will be much less interested in Ireland.” –Dame Louise Richardson, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, below left.

Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, at left, with moderator Catherine Lucey of The Wall Street Journal.

Byrne Nason: EU defense spending is up 30 percent since Ukraine was invaded by Russia, and 63 percent of that money is spent in the US. “Ireland believes in the international legal order,” the Irish ambassador said. She emphasized that Ireland is “non-aligned but not neutral,” that an Irish general now chairs the EU military. “We are reviewing their our own security initiatives,” she said. The Irish economic zone includes the surrounding seas and is seven times larger than the island. That maritime profile includes many important transatlantic cables.

Byrne Nason: Trump is a businessman, and the US-EU relationship is big business. She reminds that EU is 27 nations. “Could you imagine 27 US states coming together every day and reaching agreement on sensitive issues? But we (EU) are on the job every day.”

Opening panel (below) is assessing USA-European relations. … Stuart Holliday says a certain degree of panic in Europe is perhaps overstated. “The more Europe strengthens itself the better to have an equal relationship with the United States,” he said. “You can work with this president (Trump) is you can work personally and move quickly.” Also says transatlantic relationships should be expanded to include new players.

Transatlantic Relations at a Crossroads panel, left to right: Stuart Holliday, Director of the Meridian International Center and former Ambassador for Special Political Affairs of the United States to the UN; Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States; and Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Ambassador of Portugal to the United States. Niamh King, Director of Aspen Strategy Group and Aspen Security Forum, the panel moderator, at right.

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Prof. Cóilín Parsons, director of Global Irish Studies and associate professor at Georgetown, will give opening remarks at noon Eastern.

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I will be live blogging today (Jan. 29) from Georgetown University’s sixth annual “Bridging the Atlantic” conference. Email subscribers should visit my website for updates after noon Eastern.

Seating has opened inside the Mortara Center For International Studies.

BTA “seeks to spotlight issues of mutual concern” to the USA, Ireland, and the European Union, including transatlantic trade and the ongoing challenges of peace-building in Northern Ireland, according to the conference agenda. The new Trump administration in Washington and coalition government in Dublin are likely to receive plenty of attention.

The conference is presented by Georgetown’s Global Irish Studies Initiative and BMW Center for German and European Studies, in association with the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, and the Embassy of Ireland.