Varadkar to visit home of Boston Red Sox

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to visit the home of the Boston Red Sox on his second-day of week-long engagements in the US.

Mr Varadkar is scheduled for a busy itinerary across Boston and Washington, including a traditional trip to the White House.

The Taoiseach is to explore economic opportunities and ties between Ireland and Boston during a series of meetings on Tuesday.

He will also announce major investment by Irish sports-data company Output Sports during a visit to Fenway Park, the home stadium of the Red Sox.

He will later speak at the “Ireland Funds Young Leaders” event where he will reflect on the Irish Government’s theme for St Patrick’s Day 2024 “Ireland’s future in the world”.

Officials said Mr Varadkar will celebrate the achievements of young diaspora leaders across the fields of innovation, creativity, and academia around the world.

The Taoiseach began his week-long trip in Boston on Monday, where he met with Massachusetts governor Maura Healy and the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy.

He also gave a keynote address at the John F Kennedy Library where he said the US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is likely to be a recurring theme throughout the remainder of the trip, as Irish officials have already indicated that Mr Varadkar will raise the crisis in the Middle East during high-level engagements in Washington DC starting on Wednesday.

There, he will meet bilaterally with US president Joe Biden, vice-president Kamala Harris and the speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Discussions are expected to cover a broad agenda of issues including the “deep ties” between the US and Ireland as the countries mark 100 years of diplomatic relations and shared global challenges, including the war in Ukraine.

Mr Varadkar will also thank Mr Biden for the US’s ongoing commitment to stability in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement.

The visit will end with the White House St Patrick’s Day reception, including the traditional shamrock ceremony, on March 17th.

The Taoiseach will present the US president with the traditional shamrock bowl, as an extension of St Patrick’s Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the United States.