Obama, Irish leaders share St. Paddy's Day

WASHINGTON, March 17 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama, hosting Irish officials Tuesday, said the United States will always stand with peace-seekers such as those in Northern Ireland.

"After seeing former adversaries mourning and praying and working together this week, I've never been more confident that peace will prevail," Obama said while entertaining Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen at the White House at the St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Ceremony

Obama also met with Northern Ireland's First Prime Minister Peter Robinson and others, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein, the political arm of the Irish Republican Army.

Obama said he was grateful to Cowen for his leadership of Ireland.

"The bond between our countries could not be stronger," Obama said.

Cowen also noted the friendship between the countries, adding that all countries have their own pressures and difficulties and "we must each face up to them, and to our own problems."

"We all know that the process of peace-building and of reconciliation takes patience and perseverance," Cowen said. "In recent days, an evil, unrepresentative and tiny minority has challenged the democratic institutions which we have built together in Ireland. The people of Ireland, north and south ... have stood by peace, reconciliation, democracy, and freedom."

Obama noted he and Cowen have something in common: Turns out Cowen's from County Offaly and Obama's great-great-great grandfather on his mother's side is from a small village in County Offaly.

"We are still speculating on whether we are related," Obama said.