Our man in The White House

ICONIC?David McCormack pictured outside the White House on St Patrick’s Day.

Mayo well represented in the White House on St Patrick’s Day


Ciara Galvin

AS part of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s delegation, Castlebar native David McCormack spent St Patrick’s Day at The White House.
Though it was not his first time being invited to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, McCormack said it was a great honour to be invited again this year.
David, who has lived in New York since 2007, is a partner with Westwood Partners, a New York based executive search and advisory boutique. He lives there with his wife Kate and son Jack. He is son of Johnny McCormack who still lives in Castlebar and Brid McCormack Howard (nee McGreal) originally from Ballinrobe.
“It’s a great honour to be invited as you’re effectively part of his motorcade and invited to all the post events, the Ambassador’s reception at the Willard hotel and then back to the Ambassador’s residence for dinner and drinks,” explained Mr McCormack
Speaking to The Mayo News about the itinerary for last week’s event, he explained that all invited guests met at the back entrance of the White House at 3pm and went through the normal secret service checks.
Those gathered made up the who’s who of Irish Americans, along with US politicians and Irish senators and TDs, among these included Gerry Adams and chief constable of the PSNI George Hamilton.
On entering the White House, David and other guests were treated to the US Navy band playing traditional Irish songs. After the buffet and drinks reception, formalities took place in the ballroom where President Obama spoke, then An Taoiseach, and after, President Obama was presented with the infamous bowl of shamrock.
Speaking about the Taoiseach and his visit to the US, McCormack said people in the US want to see him reelected.
“No one has worked harder to bring jobs to Ireland than Enda Kenny. It’s very easy to fault him...I’m not living at home so I shouldn’t comment and I understand people’s lives have changed, but to blame him 100 percent is utterly ridiculous,” he said.

Immigration reform
Asked if visits such as last week’s by the Taoiseach are significant to Ireland, and to the US’ emigration reform, McCormack said though he believed President Obama and An Taoiseach were close, he believes this won’t expedite any real Immigration reform in the near term.
“I believe the President’s immigration executive order will pass but it will be held up in the supreme court. There are allegedly 50,000 illegal Irish in the US although when you say that number to any Irishman in the US they laugh and say ‘more like 250,000’. I don’t believe we will see any meaningful change in the near term,” he added.
Mr McCormack went on to say this was ‘devastating for all the Irish in this country who ‘work hard, have made a life for themselves and absolutely want to pay taxes but can’t”.
Shrule native and Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh, was also in the White House on St Patrick’s Day, where she cordially invited President Obama to the Rose of Tralee Festival.
“And when asked (by him) ‘What would I do there?’ I said, quite boldly, ‘Well President I would gladly have you as an escort in August,’” said Maria on her Facebook page.