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During the reception, also marking the Irish American Heritage month, the Irish Taoiseach presented US President Donald Trump with ceremonial live shamrocks in a hand-cut Waterford Crystal bowl.
White House hosted its annual St Patrick's Day reception on Tuesday, for which Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin made a trip to the United States.
The 2026 St. Patrick’s Day reception offered a vibrant “green carpet” for the Irish-American diplomacy. This annual event is a tradition since the 1950s.
This year, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration also served as a kickoff for the “Freedom 250” festivities—the year-long celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
During the reception, also marking the Irish American Heritage month, the Irish Taoiseach presented US President Donald Trump with ceremonial live shamrocks in a hand-cut Waterford Crystal bowl.
He noted in his speech that the very term "United States of America" was first used in a letter by a Corkman, Stephen Moylan, who was an aide to George Washington.
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Benny Johnson, a content creator who was attending the event with his Irish wife, shared a video of the green-themed platters of Irish-inspired foods like corned beef, shamrock cookies, and salads at the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day reception at the White House.
What did the Irish spread include?
- Shamrock sugar cookies: A staple of the afternoon, the White House reception had delicate butter cookies topped with emerald-green royal icing and gold-leaf accents—a nod to the "pot of gold" tradition.
- Tables were lined with green-themed platters featuring a variety of Irish delicacies, including:
- Irish grass-fed cheeses: Aged cheddars and Cashel Blue served alongside green grapes and crisp Granny Smith apples.
- Smoked salmon blinis: Featuring Irish-sourced salmon garnished with fresh dill and capers.
- Shamrock-shaped beer bread: Served with whipped honey butter, these were a crowd favourite.
- Miniature Reubens: Bite-sized versions of the Irish-American classic, served on marble rye with a signature “shamrock sauce”.
3. Irish drinks: While Guinness and Irish whiskeys were served, the "signature sip" was reported to be an Irish Coffee station featuring hand-whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg in a four-leaf clover shape.
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Check out the Irish spread at St. Patrick’s Day reception:
Legend of St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick, born in the fourth century, spent his life traversing the rugged frontiers of medieval Ireland to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Celtic people.
In the face of relentless persecution, imprisonment, and even assassination attempts, he ventured into unknown lands and hostile territory to proclaim the truth, fearlessly obeying Christ’s command to “make disciples of all nations.”
Tradition holds that, during 40 days of prayer and fasting on a mountaintop, he banished all serpents and demons off of the Emerald Isle and taught the mystery of the Holy Trinity to pagans using the three-leaved shamrock, setting untold hearts on fire for Christ.
‘Saint Patrick lives on in our country’: Trump
In his message for the Irish Americans, US President Donald Trump said, “To this day, Saint Patrick lives on in our country and around the world as a heroic Christian witness, a testament to the power of prayer, and a timeless exemplar of the strength of the Irish people.
And every March, in his honour, hundreds of thousands of Americans flood our biggest cities and towns in endless seas of green in an epic celebration of Irish heritage.”
He noted that the US is celebrating “250 glorious years of American independence,” and paid tribute to the distinct role of Irish Americans in the nation's national journey.
“This Saint Patrick’s Day and throughout Irish American Heritage Month, we send our best wishes to every American celebrating Ireland’s patron Saint. We salute the generations of Irish American heroes who have kept his legacy alive and brought our Nation to incredible new heights,” Trump added.
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