DUBLIN — President
Joe Biden spoke proudly of his
Irish roots during his first day in
Ireland – so much so that a gaffe he made at an Irish pub stirred controversy across the sea in
Britain. Biden was paying tribute Wednesday to his cousin, Rob Kearney, a rugby player whose Irish squad defeated the dominant All Blacks team of
New Zealand in 2016. But he instead referred to "Black and Tans," the pejorative name given to
British police recruits assigned to fight the Irish
Republican Army in the 1920s. "He was a hell of a rugby player, and he beat the hell out of the Black and Tans," Biden said near the end of remarks at The Windsor Bar and Restaurant in Dundalk, Ireland. The mistake spoiled a delicate balance Biden has tried to strike by soaking in his Irish ancestry but staying out of historical political grudges during his four-day swing to the
United Kingdom and Ireland. In a separate mishap during the trip – one not of his own doing –
Northern Ireland police lost a document that contained sensitive information related to Biden's security in Belfast including names of police and their posting assignments. Biden takes jab at his less-touted English heritage The
White House later corrected the "Black and Tans" error in the official transcript of the president's remarks. Amanda Sloat, the National Security Council's senior director for Europe, said Biden's message was clear. "I think for everyone in Ireland who is a rugby fan, it was incredibly clear that the president was talking about the All Blacks and Ireland's defeat of the New Zealand team in 2016," she said. "... It was clear what the president was referring to. It was certainly clear to his cousin sitting next to him who had played in that match." After Biden touted the values instilled in him by his Irish-American mother, he said the "saving grace" of his father, whose lineage traces to
England, was "a quarter of his family was Hanafees from Galway." He added, "You know, Biden is English. I hate to tell you that. I don’t hate to – I’m joking – but it’s true." While 10 of Biden's great-great grandparents from his mother's side are Irish, his father, Joseph R. Biden Sr., has English and French ancestry. The British tabloid The Daily Mail highlighted Biden's comments, and pointed to past remarks he's made about the United Kingdom, with the headline: "All the times President Joe Biden has shown disdain for his
UK heritage." Biden to address Irish parliament Biden meets Irish leaders: On Thursday, Biden is set to address Ireland's parliament, the Houses of Oireachtas. He met privately with Irish President Michael Higgins and is scheduled to meet later with Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, or prime minister, of Ireland. Book signing : At Higgins' official residence, Biden signed a guest book and gave a nod to his Irish roots. “As the Irish saying goes," he wrote, "your feet will bring you to where your heart is … and it’s an honor to return and to come home to the home of my ancestors.” Peace bell: Biden will also participate in a tree planting ceremony and ringing of a peace bell at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Banquet dinner: The president's evening will conclude with a banquet dinner at
Dublin Castle. Itinerary shift: Biden spent Wednesday taking part in less formal events including the pub gathering and a tour of 12th century Carlingford Castle. He will be back on the family history tour Friday, when he travels to County Mayo, where Biden's Blewitt ancestors lived. How Biden's Irish roots shape his political identity Biden has put his Irish-American heritage on full displace since he arrived in Ireland Wednesday afternoon following a brief stop in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He traveled to County Louth, off Ireland's eastern coast, where the Finnegan ancestors of his late mother lived before moving to the U.S. in the 1850s. Biden is known for reciting Irish sayings, poems, humor and tales of his ancestors with regularity in an appeal, above all, to the common man. "I don't know why they hell my ancestors left here," Biden said to workers at a local deli in Dundalk, Ireland. "It's beautiful." As he toured Carlingford Castle, he said: "Feels like I'm coming home." More: 'Northern Ireland will not go back': Biden calls for sustained peace amid political unrest More: 'Simple dignity': How President Biden's visit to Ireland tells the story of 'Blue-collar Joe' back home Biden uses his Irish
American identity to champion the hard-working American – the little guy fighting the odds who he believes deserves a chance even if lacking financial resources. "Everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity," Biden said during remarks at The Windsor Bar in Dunbalk, later adding that "hope is what beats in the hearts of all people, particularly the Irish." "I've often said the Irish are the only people in the world, in my view, who actually are nostalgic about the future." Reach Joey Garrison on
Twitter @Joeygarrison. Contributing: Michael Collins