The White House has corrected Joe Biden’s “Black and Tans” blunder.
During his address in Dundalk, the US President mistakenly said his former Irish rugby player cousin Rob Kearney “beat the hell out of the Black and Tans”, when referring to the New Zealand rugby team.
In the transcript of his comments released by the White House, “Black and Tans” has been crossed out, and the words “All Blacks” has been included instead.
President Biden’s blunder occurred in The Windsor Pub in Dundalk on Wednesday.
The 80-year-old had been thanking Rob for a gift he received from the Irish rugby team after their victory against New Zealand back in 2016.
The father-of-four said: “See this tie I have, this shamrock tie?”
“It was given to me by one of these guys right here, who’s a hell of a rugby player who beat the hell out of the Black and Tans.”
A verbal gaffe by US President Joe Biden in Dundalk has been acknowledged and corrected in the official White House transcript of his remarks.
Mr Biden said his cousin, former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney, ‘beat the hell out of the Black and Tans’ | https://t.co/kf5C0Ji5RD pic.twitter.com/NHOCZkc8iq
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 13, 2023
“Ah god,” President Biden said after realising his mistake. “But, but it was when you were at Soldier Field, wasn’t it? Chicago.”
“After it was all over he gave my brother, allegedly for me – but if it wasn’t I still took it – I still got the tie. I wore it with great pride.”
Rob Kearney and his pregnant wife Jess Redden posed for photos with President Biden, who is his father’s fifth cousin, at The Windsor Pub on Wednesday.
Jess shared the photos to Instagram last night, and captioned the post: “A day to remember 💙🤍❤️”
Biden is currently in Dublin, and he will meet with Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning.
The 80-year-old will then have a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Farmleigh estate.
Varadkar described President Biden’s upcoming visit as “an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries”.
Adding that it would be a “privileged and special moment,” Leo said: “Joe Biden has always been a friend of Ireland. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit.”
Leo continued to say: “When we spoke recently in the White House, President Biden was clear that in celebrating the Good Friday Agreement, we should be looking ahead, not backwards. We need to continue working together as true partners to fulfil the potential of all the people who call this island their home.”
This afternoon, Biden will address the Oireachtas, making him the fourth US President to do so – following John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
The US President will then wrap up his tour of Dublin with a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle that evening.
It is understood that he will be staying in the 5-star hotel The Conrad while in Dublin.
On Friday, Biden will travel to Ballina in Co. Mayo – the home of his great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt, who emigrated to the US in 1850 and settled in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The 80-year-old will conclude his visit with a public address outside St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina by the river Moy on Friday evening (you can register to attend the public event here).
It’s understood Edward Blewitt supplied the bricks for that same church back in 1828.
President Biden will then head back to the US via Dublin Airport on Friday night.
