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The Green & White House: Ireland and the US Presidents
An affectionate and wry look at the special relationship Ireland, a small nation of less than six million people, has with the greatest superpower in the world.
'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
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 armored 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. Anti-personnel 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.
'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
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 armored 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. Anti-personnel 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.
- GenresHistory
336 pages, Hardcover
Published February 28, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 26, 2023
If possible, I would have given this book 3.5 stars.
A fun and breezy read through the history of US Presidents' relations with Ireland. I appreciated the thorough research on the genealogies of JFK, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton, and Obama. Moreover, the discussion of the Irish lobby's remarkable behind-the-scenes influence in Washington and Ireland's unique access to Presidential administrations was very insightful and sheds light on an often unnoticed aspect of American foreign policy.
The book is not without its flaws, however. The writing was clumsy at times, and I was taken aback by the number of typos. More editing/proofreading would have been welcome.
More substantively, the structure of the book was confusing. It begins with JFK, moves on to his successors up to Biden, and then goes back in time to the 19th century Presidents. I really did not see the point in this. Moreover, the United States' involvement in the Northern Irish peace process is mostly discussed in a standalone chapter toward the end of the book whereas it would have made more sense to incorporate it in the chapters on Reagan and Clinton. Additionally, the book omits the influence that George W. Bush and his administration had on the IRA's disarmament in the 2000s as part of the War on Terror.
Finally, Senator George Mitchell should have gotten more airtime. As chairman of the all-party talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, Mitchell arguably played a greater role in the peace process than any other American official. Although the book's focus is on the US presidents, I don't think an analysis of the Clinton administration and Ireland is complete without taking a good look at Mitchell's role as the co-architect of Good Friday and as the symbol of the Clinton administration's involvement in Northern Irish affairs.
A fun and breezy read through the history of US Presidents' relations with Ireland. I appreciated the thorough research on the genealogies of JFK, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton, and Obama. Moreover, the discussion of the Irish lobby's remarkable behind-the-scenes influence in Washington and Ireland's unique access to Presidential administrations was very insightful and sheds light on an often unnoticed aspect of American foreign policy.
The book is not without its flaws, however. The writing was clumsy at times, and I was taken aback by the number of typos. More editing/proofreading would have been welcome.
More substantively, the structure of the book was confusing. It begins with JFK, moves on to his successors up to Biden, and then goes back in time to the 19th century Presidents. I really did not see the point in this. Moreover, the United States' involvement in the Northern Irish peace process is mostly discussed in a standalone chapter toward the end of the book whereas it would have made more sense to incorporate it in the chapters on Reagan and Clinton. Additionally, the book omits the influence that George W. Bush and his administration had on the IRA's disarmament in the 2000s as part of the War on Terror.
Finally, Senator George Mitchell should have gotten more airtime. As chairman of the all-party talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, Mitchell arguably played a greater role in the peace process than any other American official. Although the book's focus is on the US presidents, I don't think an analysis of the Clinton administration and Ireland is complete without taking a good look at Mitchell's role as the co-architect of Good Friday and as the symbol of the Clinton administration's involvement in Northern Irish affairs.
March 21, 2025
3.5
Really interesting, but I feel like it could have been structured better. Why were the chapters about the earlier presidents at the end? I feel like it would've benefited by being told more chronologically.
Really interesting, but I feel like it could have been structured better. Why were the chapters about the earlier presidents at the end? I feel like it would've benefited by being told more chronologically.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews