A night at the Irish Embassy in Paris

I’m not sure if it comes through on the blog, but I’m a major hibernophile. I played gaelic football, studied Irish literature in college, wear a claddagh, and my speech inevitably becomes accented whenever Irish friends are around (especially those from Wicklow and Dublin). I even tried to teach myself Gaeilge at one point. I’m convinced I must’ve been Irish in a previous life.

Needless to say I felt fortunate to have recently met the Irish ambassador to France (who actually started his diplomatic career in Beijing, helping set up the Chinese embassy back in 1979) and even more so when he was kind enough to invite me to the Irish embassy last week to attend a reception for Irish president Michael D. Higgins, in the middle of the latter’s three-day visit to France.

I’ve been to one other Irish embassy in my life so far — Beijing’s, when I played in the 2008 All-China Gaelic Games — and I loved seeing how very different the two are. The embassy in Paris is located right off the Arc de Triomphe and is incredibly ornate; not surprisingly, most of the details are very, very French. The president, in the opening of his speech, jokingly remarked that “it remains a monument to our hubris and grace.”

The president, in his very distinctive, soft yet powerful voice, gave a short speech on Irish-French politics (I had no idea the Irish flag was modeled after the French tricolor!) as well as other political states of affairs. What was most memorable to me was when he said, regarding the current state of world economics and looking towards the future: “It is better to come after your decade of nonsense and say, We are in a better place.” 

After the speech the president and his wife, as well as the ambassador and his wife, received everyone in the embassy library. I think I mustered out a sentence or two introducing myself to the president before moving on to shake his wife’s hand. (Luckily the ambassador’s wife recognized me and made me feel at ease, so at least I didn’t feel like a complete bumbling fool.)

The night also answered many questions, like “Are you supposed to be on time or fashionably late for an embassy reception?” (fashionably late) and “Does the Irish president have any Americans on his staff?” (he does) and “How many hors d’oeuvres can you eat before the waiters start giving you looks?” (I don’t know, I was too busy eating to notice).

I was happy to see many of my Paris Gaels teammates there as well, as a few of them work for Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board), and other Irish businesses in France. Some folks I hadn’t seen in nearly a year and we spent hours catching up, and even after the embassy we continued onto another Irish bar (of course).

The event was easily one of the highlights of my entire time in Paris. I spent the night surrounded by fantastic Irish company and people with as great an interest in the country as I do, and can now say I have met more Irish politicians and visited more Irish embassies abroad than I have American. Éire Go Brách!

There’s a great audio clip online of the Irish president taking down an American Tea Partier. It’s an epic exchange, check it out here.

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12 Comments

  • Reply
    Melanie Fontaine
    February 26, 2013 at 10:09

    What a great opportunity! I can definitely see why this is one of your highlights of your time in Paris!
    xx

  • Reply
    Alex @ ifs ands & butts
    February 26, 2013 at 14:43

    What a special opportunity and experience Edna! I had no idea of your special love for Ireland – I’ve gotta make it there someday!

    • Reply
      edna
      February 27, 2013 at 02:02

      You haven’t been yet?! You absolutely need to go. You’d love it.

  • Reply
    Hannah
    February 26, 2013 at 16:30

    That audio clip of the Irish president ripping apart the Tea Party is great. Not every politician gets away with calling someone a ‘wanker.’

    Sounds like a great opportunity, Edna. Funny the places we find ourselves when we travel.

    • Reply
      edna
      February 27, 2013 at 02:03

      Indeed — yet another reason I love living abroad.

  • Reply
    Life in Paris: February roundup - Expat Edna
    February 28, 2013 at 04:14

    […] A night at the Irish Embassy in Paris […]

  • Reply
    Rory Montgomery
    March 1, 2013 at 19:20

    I really enjoyed your post Edna, not least for the photos of the Embassy – I will be living and working there as the new Irish Ambassador from September next, following Paul and RosemaryKavanagh after their move to China. I look forward to meeting you then (assuming I survive our EU Presidency -I am currently Permanent Representative to the EU in Brussels). Paul forwarded me the link to your blog and I was very struck by it – as a globetrotting Chinese-American hibernophile in Paris you epitomise 21st century globalisation!

  • Reply
    Sofie
    March 4, 2013 at 14:47

    What an amazing opportunity!
    Sounds like you got to meet some interesting people and learned a lot.
    I always wonder what goes on in those embassy buildings:)

  • Reply
    Lauren @ roamingtheworld
    March 5, 2013 at 00:03

    So when are you going to be an expat in Ireland???

  • Reply
    Erica
    March 9, 2013 at 21:15

    How did I completely miss this??? Ah! Amazing glimpse at not only the Irish embassy, but the ever so fabulous life of Edna ;) Can you please create a link on the side labeled “My Ridiculous Love of Ireland”

  • Reply
    Daisy
    March 11, 2013 at 09:01

    Good for you! It looks like you had an amazing time!

  • Reply
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