Overview
- President Catherine Connolly used her first St. Patrick’s Day message to frame Saint Patrick as a migrant and to highlight migrants’ resilience and contributions.
- She warned against the “normalization of war” and urged a recommitment to international law under the United Nations Charter, without naming specific countries in the Middle East.
- The address coincided with Taoiseach Micheal Martin preparing to meet President Donald Trump at the White House.
- Critics accused her of sidelining the holiday’s religious focus and distorting history, noting she referred to the figure as “Patrick,” with pushback from Kirk Loco, Declan Ganley, and Irish American actor James Woods.
- Connolly, a left-leaning independent elected in October to a largely ceremonial post, has been described as supportive of Palestine according to reporting that cites the Associated Press.