Summary

  • US President Joe Biden has addressed a joint sitting of the Oireachtas (Ireland's parliament) - becoming the fourth American leader to do so

  • Biden is on a tour of the Republic of Ireland - having earlier been in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement

  • Today, he met Irish President Michael D Higgins at his official residence and also held talks with Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar

  • Biden wrote in the visitors' book at Áras an Uachtaráin: "Your feet will bring you where your heart is", and joked about "not going home" to the US

  • Thousands of people gathered to welcome him last night as he visited distant relatives in Carlingford, in the north east of the country

  1. Biden mistakenly references Black and Tanspublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Adam Durbin
    Live reporter

    A gaffe by Joe Biden has been trending on social media in Ireland since he said it in County Louth yesterday - with some tabloids even splashing it on their front pages.

    Speaking at a pub in Dundalk, Biden accidentally mentioned the Black and Tans - the nickname given to British recruits sent to Ireland during the 1919-21 War of Independence - instead of New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team.

    It came as he was paying tribute to former Irish ruby star Rob Kearney - one of Biden's many distant cousins who was in the pub for the speech.

    Rob Kearney during a visit by US President Joe Biden to DundalkImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Rob Kearney

    Biden had meant to compliment Kearney for his part in Ireland's historic victory over the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016, the first time in 111 years.

    "He’s a hell of a rugby player, and he beat the hell out of the Black and Tans. Oh, God." Biden said, to a fair amount of laughter.

    The White House has issued a correction to the official transcript of the speech, external.

    Speaking to reporters this morning, NSC senior director for Europe Amanda Sloat said: "It was clear what the president was referring to, it was certainly clear to his cousins setting next to him."

  2. Irish police ask public to follow security measurespublished at 09:57 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    An Garda Síochána (Irish police) have told the public that Phoenix Park in Dublin will be closed to all access, traffic and pedestrians until 17:00 local time today, during President Biden's visit.

    Dublin City Centre remains open for business but police have listed a number of roads that will remain closed until this evening and areas where parking is prohibited here, external.

    The measures are in place for traffic management and security reasons during Biden's visit, which will mostly take place in the Phoenix Park area and Dublin South city centre today.

    Police reminded the public that using drones or unmanned aircraft systems is prohibited within 5km of any airport, over urban areas, over crowds and in other restricted areas.

  3. A brighter day for Biden's Dublin visitpublished at 09:43 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Sun over river in Dublin

    The weather in Ireland is looking significantly brighter for the second day of President Biden's visit to the Republic.

    This morning in Dublin, there will be sunny intervals with a moderate breeze and temperatures around 12C.

    That's ideal conditions for Biden's visit to Áras an Uachtaráin, the home of the Irish president in Dublin's Phoenix Park, where he's expected to plant an oak tree to mark the occasion.

    It's set to remain sunny with a gentle breeze into the evening, much in contrast to the president's arrival at Dublin Airport yesterday evening, where he stepped off Air Force One on to the rain-soaked runway.

  4. 'Biden joy': President's 'homecoming' dominates Irish front pagespublished at 09:32 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Ece Göksedef
    Live reporter

    The excitement about Joe Biden's three-day visit to the Republic of Ireland is reflected in all the national papers today.

    The Irish Times leads with a quote from Biden after his arrival yesterday. “Coming here feels like coming home,” it says, along with a picture of him speaking outside a bar in County Louth.

    The paper summarises, external the first day of the US President's visit to the island and emphasises his comments on the Good Friday Agreement: Biden highlighted the “incredible economic opportunity” created through “sustained peace”, it says.

    Irish Times headlineImage source, Irish Times

    "Beaming Biden savours return 'home", headlines The Irish Examiner, accompanied with a picture of Biden taking a selfie with the crowd gathered around him.

    The paper says, external lots of roads will be closed today in Dublin and bins will be sealed as Biden meets President Higgins. It calls Biden's planned address to both Houses of the Oireachtas "historic".

    The front page of Irish Independent just says "President Biden in Ireland" and adds, external, "pastries, pleasantries and a ‘Black and Tans’ faux pas are highlights of his visit to ancestral home county".

    The Irish Daily Mirror's headline says "Biden Joy", while The Irish Sun prioritises Biden's "rugby gaffe" on its front page and says "Yes we tans".

  5. Biden unwinds after navigating tightrope of NI politicspublished at 09:07 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    The shift in tone and mood was unmistakable as US President Joe Biden began a three-day visit to the Republic of Ireland, having spent a short time in Northern Ireland.

    Baseball cap on, out of an armoured limo and into a pub. "It feels like I'm coming home," Biden said in Dundalk, County Louth.

    The tightrope of Northern Ireland politics negotiated, last night was time to unwind a little.

    His sister and son in tow, this isn't conventional diplomacy - or even diplomacy at all. It's a return to a family's roots and sense of belonging.

    Joe Biden shakes hand of young man in a cafe in Dundalk, IrelandImage source, EPA

    With 30 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry, it comes with a hoped-for political dividend too, the year before a presidential election. And what a contrast with what came before in Belfast.

    The prospect of this presidential visit to Northern Ireland has been talked about for months, but lasted only hours. While there is no such thing as a low key public trip for an American president, this felt like it came close.

    It was quick. It was short. Even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's involvement was minimal. He wasn't at the president's single public appearance - a decision which, privately, raised some eyebrows in government.

    Read more here.

  6. It's wonderful to be in Ireland - Bidenpublished at 08:42 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    US President Biden visits Carlingford CastleImage source, .

    Yesterday President Biden and Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin visited Carlingford Castle in County Louth.

    They were both filmed sporting caps with emblazoned with American emblems to shield themselves from the rain.

    Asked what he thinks of the weather, Biden smiled and said "It's fine, It's Ireland", before saying it felt "wonderful" to be there, and it was like coming home.

  7. What happens today?published at 07:52 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Chris Page
    Reporting from Dublin

    US President Biden will meet Irish President Higgins and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Varadkar todayImage source, Nick Bradshaw/PA Wire

    Today Joe Biden will be undertaking one of the set-piece events of this visit to Ireland - he will be addressing the Irish parliament in Dublin.

    That’s an honour that’s been given to only three US presidents before – John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

    He will also be having formal talks with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and he’ll be meeting the Irish President Michael D Higgins.

  8. What Biden did yesterdaypublished at 07:49 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Joe Biden outside an Irish pubImage source, Reuters

    Biden began his day in Northern Ireland to mark 25 years since the Good Friday peace agreement - where he hailed the "tremendous progress" since the deal was signed in 1998.

    He delivered a key note speech as he opened the new Ulster University campus in Belfast - his only official engagement in Northern Ireland - and he called for politicians to restore the power-sharing government.

    The US president also met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before briefly speaking to some of Stormont's political party leaders. After leaving Belfast early yesterday afternoon, he flew on Air Force One to Dublin and was met by Taoiseach(Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, before travelling to meet distant relatives in County Louth on Ireland's east coast where he paid homage to his Irish heritage.

    Later there were shouts of "welcome home, Joe" when Biden arrived in Dundalk to address an audience, a few miles from the Northern Irish border.

  9. Biden to meet Irish president and PMpublished at 07:47 British Summer Time 13 April 2023

    Marita Moloney
    Live reporter

    Céad míle fáilte and thanks for joining us again as we follow US President Joe Biden's visit to the island of Ireland.

    The American leader arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday night to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal signed 25 years ago this week.

    After meeting UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he spoke at Ulster University where he hailed the "tremendous progress" made in NI since the deal was signed.

    Biden then travelled across the border where he visited his ancestral home in County Louth, declaring: "It feels like I'm coming home."

    Today he’s in Dublin, and will meet both President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, ahead of an address to both houses of the Irish parliament.

    Together with my colleagues in Belfast and London, we'll be bringing you the latest on his historic visit, so stay with us.