Last week I had the chance to go with the American Women’s Club to a tour of the Irish president’s house and a meet and greet with the First Lady. The house is called Aras an Uachtarain (don’t worry, I can’t pronounce it either :)) and is basically like the Irish version of the White House (though with much less security). It’s located in the massive Phoenix Park, which also contains the zoo, the American ambassador’s house, a ton of sports fields, monuments, and a herd of wild deer.

When we arrived, we were ushered into the largest of the rooms where heads of state are greeted (Obama, the Clintons, and Queen Elizabeth were all received in this room). We each got a picture taken with Sabina Higgins, the First Lady. I didn’t realize they would also be willing to take a photo with our own cameras, so I hadn’t pulled mine out in time — oh well! We proceeded into the dining room for a little reception with tea and coffee, goodies, and wine (at 11 in the morning?!), and Mrs. Higgins came around and mingled with all of us. She was very sweet and lovely and very welcoming to everyone.

There were a lot of new faces for me among the group — I’ve been going to events but some of the usual mom friends I’ve made weren’t there, so I chatted with a few new folks including another woman from Seattle!

Soon it was time for the First Lady’s official welcome and short speech. She talked about the strong connection between Ireland and America and that she was glad to see we were all settling into our lives here in Ireland while also acknowledging that it’s hard to move to another country and that having the support of other American women is a great benefit.

After she made her exit, we had a tour of the rest of the public rooms from a funny (and cute :)) guide who seemed to be part security detail and part public relations. He charmed all the ladies with his shpiel about the history of the house and each past president of Ireland. It was actually really interesting to learn about. The house had originally been built during English rule, and so when Ireland became independent there was talk of demolishing it (as it represented colonial rule), but they decided to preserve and renovate it to reflect symbols of the new free Ireland. In the artwork on the walls, the carpets, and the rococo plaster on the ceilings, there’s all kinds of symbolism of Ireland (shamrocks, the harp which is the official instrument of the country, a phoenix rising from the ashes which is meant to symbolize freedom).

It’s interesting to note that the two presidents prior to the current one were both women. They were both very popular and well regarded in the country and made some great changes towards a more progressive and inclusive Ireland. One of them also took a huge step by inviting Protestant officials from Northern Ireland for an official visit in a move toward peace/reconciliation. Similarly, during the current president’s term, a few years ago, Queen Elizabeth was welcomed over from England. This was the first state visit of England to Ireland since it became independent in 1922, so it was a huge deal. The president is soon planning a state visit to England, as well.

I didn’t really know much about the president’s role or duties before. I had assumed he was more of a figure head and that the prime minister is more of an actual leader in the country. But apparently the president does have power. The prime minister is leader of his party and of the government, but the president is in charge of upholding the constitution and can refer bills to the Supreme Court to rule on their constitutionality. So while the role is largely ceremonial and symbolic, there are actual important powers and duties that go with the job.

All in all, it was a lovely morning of seeing the beautiful house and gardens, meeting the First Lady, learning some Irish history, and chatting with some fellow Americans.