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TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will not be travelling to the White House for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, it has been confirmed.
The occasion will instead be marked remotely, with an in-person meeting with President Joe Biden not possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Irish and US officials are currently working out how best to mark the day, a spokesperson for the Taoiseach said.
“These arrangements will take full account of the challenges of Covid and we expect that on this occasion the tradition will be upheld via a programme of virtual events.”
There had been no specific invite for Martin to travel to the White House this year but an “annual standing invitation” has existed each year since 1956.
Martin previously stated that “the virus will dictate” whether a trip to Washington DC was possible. The chances of the trip happening had decreased after the White House confirmed that it has not been holding public events due to coronavirus concerns.
Martin had said he was “amused” by the debate around whether would head Stateside, saying that he would travel if there was an invitation but that nothing had been decided.
Sinn Féin are among those who had said that he should not travel to the United States.
- With reporting from Adam Daly
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As Ian Brown told a fan recordin one oh his solo shows; “What you have there mate, is a memory of an experience you never had.”
You’re recording the experience you just missed
Bring a gopro. Problem solved lol.
Idiots, just put the bloody phone away and enjoy the gig!
Absorbing yourself into the truly exhilarating ambience of the gig is what it’s all about.
Don’t let your phone win.
Taking a quick photo at a gig is one thing, but people pay good money to watch a gig on a 5″ screen, madness!! Go home and watch it for free on YouTube….oops I forgot, if you don’t record it and post it on Facebook, it never happened.
These people clearly don’t go to gigs for the music, they go so everyone knows they were there. That’s kinda sad :(
I’ve paid for a ticket to the gig,if I want to take a photo I will,so mind your own f**kin business
You sound like great bant and a stellar gig buddy.
The comments on here don’t reflect reality! I don’t go to many gigs but from recent experience 90% of people are at some carryon with their phones yet 100% comments are completely against it! Are the journal readers just an enlightened crowd or a bunch of liars?
Read the title ar@seways and thought it said pigs and not gigs for a few seconds. Wasn’t exactly sure why people were filming pigs on their smart phones but was definetly in agreement something had to be done to tackle it. Its been a long day and i am seriously tired. Wish my darling son would go the feck asleep so i can too :)
If you wish to record a concert with your phone/camera then piss off to the back of the crowd. It is very annoying having to look through hundreds of small screens to see what is on stage.
Best article I’ve ever read on the journal.
I also capture the mosh pit and my friends reactions…. U got that also??
have your say