Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was one of 800 guests to tuck into crab and beef dishes at the swanky Ireland Funds dinner in Washington on Wednesday night.
The event at the National Buildings Museum was attended by a range of Irish and American politicians and celebrities, including former Irish President Mary Robinson.
Sinn Féin leader and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson, the UUP’s Doug Beatie, Colum Eastwood of the SDLP and Alliance leader Naomi Long represented parties from Northern Ireland.
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Irish rugby legend Rob Kearney and Dublin Football star Bernard Brogan also attended the dinner.
Guests were treated to an open bar, a three course meal and entertainment on the night.
For starters, a crab and avocado timbale was served while the Taoiseach and US Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer delivered speeches.
The main course consisted of pan-seared beef tenderloin. Rather than traditional Irish potatoes, however, the main meal was accompanied by “wine enriched smoked corn polenta, salad of baby zucchini with cherry tomatoes and smoky corn”.
Other speeches on the night came from US Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III.
After-dinner entertainment was provided by the Irish Tenors. However, the Taoiseach left briskly during the performance.
Desserts were served in a communal area with tea and coffee, while a band started playing.
During his speech at the dinner, Mr Varakdar joked that the event has not been a good place for Irish Taoisigh in recent years.
Last year, then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin had to be removed from the dinner after he tested positive for COVID-19.
In 2020, Mr Varadkar received a call from then-Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan with a warning that the country would have to go into lockdown as the virus spread.
The Taoiseach said that it was like a “scene from a movie” as he was “whisked through kitchens” out of the event.
He said: “The last time I was at this dinner – in March 2020 – you may recall, I was called away suddenly to receive the terrible news that an oncoming storm had hit Ireland, a pandemic that was about to engulf this country as well as the entire world.
“The next day, from the steps of Blair House, I announced that schools would close and Ireland would begin to go into lockdown. A lot has happened since then, many people have suffered.
“Still, it is good to be back in person and hopefully, I’ll get to stay for the whole evening this year.
“We’ve had quite enough surprises at this particular dinner.”
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