Irish leader Enda Kenny has been slammed for giving President Barack Obama a certificate of Irishness at the White House by Trina Vargo, head of US Ireland Alliance.
The alliance is funded in large part by the Irish taxpayer, which sends 12 students a year to Ireland on Mitchell Scholarship programs.
“The shop in Shannon Airport must have been out of leprechaun dolls and chunks of the auld sod,” Vargo wrote.
Kenny serves on the honorary board of the organization.
She also stated Irish Americans "horrified" Irish people during the Sts. Patrick’s period and that Irish people were secretly laughing at them.
The organization is down to receive $20 million in matching funding from hard-pressed Irish taxpayers over the next few years and Vargo is currently circulating a congressional petition seeking to have the American taxpayer pay an additional $5 million in order to trigger more Irish taxpayer money.
Former Senator George Mitchell is lobbying members on Capitol Hill strongly for the money.
Staffers for one leading Irish American politician on Capitol Hill has strongly criticized the manner in which Mitchell has gone about lobbying directly for the funds .
“George Mitchell is a hero of the peace process but he is damaging his reputation strong arming politicians on this” one irate staffer stated.
Kenny presented the certificate to Obama, who has Irish roots, as the center piece of his remarks at an event attended by 300 leading Irish Americans and praised the role of Irish Americans in helping Ireland over the generations.
Vargo however, stated that Irish Americans were a disgrace. “During this week it is always people from Ireland and Northern Ireland who tell me how horrified they are by the shamrockery, and they’re right, it’s embarrassing."
"The Irish are just so grateful for the attention that they grit their teeth, take it, and then laugh at the Yanks at the end of the night. Ireland gives us what they think we want and clearly some still do.”
Questions have long been asked about the Mitchell Scholarship funding by Irish American groups give the director's strong antipathy to Irish American organizations.
In addition, there seems little evidence that any of the scholars contribute back to Ireland as was long the contention of the organization.
Vargo's salary funded by Irish and American taxpayers is $175,000 and she also hosts a glitzy Hollywood event her organization splashed out a total of $1.2 million on over five years.
Originally published in 2012.
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