So, apparently, the leaders of Ireland’s Sinn Féin party, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, have decided to skip this year’s St. Patrick’s Day events at the White House, and I’m like, “good for them, I guess?” (I mean, who needs free booze and awkward small talk with Donald Trump anyway?) But seriously, they’re protesting Trump’s comments on Gaza, which, let’s be real, is a total mess.
But what’s really interesting here is that Sinn Féin is not just any party – it’s the largest political party in Ireland, with a pretty complicated history, to say the least (they were linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army, which, as we all know, was involved in some pretty shady stuff during “The Troubles”). And, fun fact: they’ve got some major ties to Palestinian militants, which, of course, doesn’t exactly make them BFFs with Israel.
And, can we talk about the irony here? I mean, Sinn Féin is all about reunifying Ireland, but they’re also super supportive of the Palestinian cause, which is, you know, a whole other can of worms. But hey, at least they’re consistent, right? (Check out this book on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for some background info.)
So, what’s the big deal about St. Patrick’s Day, you ask? Well, it’s not just about green beer and leprechauns – it’s a major event for Irish-American relations, and, historically, it’s been a big deal for Sinn Féin leaders to attend. But, this year, they’re all, “no thanks, we’re good,” and I’m like, “fair enough, I suppose?” I mean, who wants to hang out with Trump when you can, I don’t know, literally do anything else?
And, let’s not forget, this isn’t the first time Sinn Féin leaders have had a bit of a, shall we say, “complicated” relationship with the US. Like, remember when Gerry Adams got a 48-hour travel visa in 1994 and went on to advocate for peace among militant Irish American groups? Yeah, that was a thing. And, of course, there was that time Osama bin Laden complained to CNN about the US government’s hypocrisy in dealing with IRA leaders vs. Islamic militants. Good times.
But, I digress. So, what’s next for McDonald and O’Neill? Well, despite ditching the White House shindig, they’re still planning to head to the US for some meetings with politicians, business types, and the Irish diaspora. Because, you know, someone’s gotta keep the dream of a united Ireland alive, and maybe, just maybe, they can drum up some support for the Palestinian cause while they’re at it.
And, hey, who knows, maybe they’ll even swing by Amazon to pick up some books on Irish history or something (just kidding, they’re probably way too busy saving the world). But, seriously, it’s interesting to see how this whole situation plays out, especially given the, shall we say, “delicate” nature of US-Irish relations.
But, what do you think, dear reader? Should McDonald and O’Neill have just sucked it up and attended the White House party, or were they right to take a stand? Let me know in the comments (just kidding, there are no comments, but a girl can dream, right?)! And, hey, if you’re feeling extra curious, check out this BBC article on the whole situation for some more background info.