The Green and White House by Lynne Kelleher
Synopsis
Intimate, complex, long-lasting: the links between Ireland and US presidents extend much further and deeper than JFK.
From Andrew Jackson in 1829 to Woodrow Wilson in 1913 and Joe Biden in 2021, Ireland's sway in the White House is hugely significant. Handwritten letters, weatherworn tombstones, shipping records and even an old desk unlock the ancestral secrets of 23 presidents.
Spanning the centuries from covered wagons to the American Revolution, the birth of the Irish Republic to JFK's heady glamour, The Green and White House takes in political machinations and the firebrands who pushed for freedom, justice and peace for Ireland.
For centuries, Irish emigrants crossed the Atlantic by boat, but an intense diplomatic bromance has seen American commanders-in-chief returning to remote Irish villages via Air Force One and armoured limousines. Incredible stories spring from these presidential visits. High-tech phones are installed in an ancient cemetery while an Aran cardigan is treated like a hostile device.
Antipersonnel nets produce a bumper catch of salmon, but a Secret Service gun is lost then found amid a jubilant crowd. Each homecoming - always conducted with a twinkle in the eye - turns local people into international media darlings. But this transatlantic courtship, forged over the unearthed mysteries of sprawling family trees, has secured Ireland an annual invite to the White House - something no other nation can rival.
The Green and White House takes a wry look at the special relationship one tiny nation shares with the world's greatest superpower.
Reviews
'Carefully researched and excellently written . . . a wonderful account of the special relationship between Ireland and the USA.' Bertie Ahern
'Anybody with an interest in Irish-American politics and personalities will want to read The Green and White House.' Dick Spring
'A fascinating book: relevant, surprising, and very well-written.' Eamon Dunphy