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On the day a proud Irish-American is inaugurated as this nation's 46th President, a thread on the Irish history that runs through the places he & Vice President Harris will have passed today on route from the Capitol to Arlington & back to the White House. 1/8
First, the Capitol itself - some think the Statue of Freedom, the highest point on DC's skyline, faces east to greet immigrants arriving from Europe through the 1800s. Fitting, then, that she was designed by Thomas Crawford, the son of Irish immigrants. 2/8
Walk into @bankovireland in Parliament House & you may be reminded of the Capitol. The ceiling of what's now Statuary Hall resembles Parliament House because Sir Edward Lovett Pearce's plans were studied when designing the Capitol. 3/8
The oldest Catholic church in DC, St Patrick's, was established in 1794 to serve the Irish stonemasons who, alongside others, including many slaves, built the #WhiteHouse & #Capitol. Like President @JoeBiden, the founding priest Fr Caffrey was a Mayo man. 4/8
By Franklin Square, near the White House, stands a statue of Commodore John Barry, the Rosslare born 'Father of the US Navy,' The first commissioned @USNavy officer (by no less a figure than George Washington), Barry is honored also in his native Wexford & in Philadelphia. 5/8
Visiting the tomb of the unknown soldier @ArlingtonNatl President Biden & VP Harris will have passing the resting places of thousands of Irish & Irish-Americans who served this nation, amongst them, Maureen O'Hara &, of course, President John F Kennedy. 6/8
Returning to DC, the President's new home is familiar to Irish eyes from more than the West Wing. It was designed by Kilkenny architect James Hoban & modeled on #LeinsterHouse, where our Parliament sits. So when our Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD visits, he'll feel right at home. 7/8
Finally, at 1.3 miles from both the #USNavalObservatory & the #WhiteHouse, our Embassy is almost exactly equidistant from the new homes of VP Harris & President Biden. Our doors are always open, if our neighbors need a place to meet half-way! Beidh fáilte romhaimh i gcónaí! 8/8
