> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# St. Patricks Day politics
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/19391/
- Published: 2005-03-18T21:03:26.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:33:02.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:15

President Bush celebrated St. Patrick's Day yesterday by [receiving](http://expatyank.blogspot.com/2005/03/bush-sends-in-sisters-and-partner.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) the five sisters of IRA-murder victim Robert McCarthy for a visit at the White House. If you haven't read Robin Wilson's super background on the story on openDemocracy yet, [have a look](http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-124-2373.jsp).

For the past decade Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams has been the customary guest of honour for St. Patrick's Day celebrations in America. [Not this year](http://badhairblog.blogspot.com/2005/03/five-mccartney-sisters-and-his-fiancee.html?ref=opendemocracy.net). The IRA has silenced all the witnesses in the brutal murder of McCarthy, and allegedly offered simply to [shoot the killers](http://rufnkiddingme.blogspot.com/2005/03/what-does-violence-have-to-do-with.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) to end the fuss. The sisters seek truth and justice for their brother, and have become front figures in what has developed into a campaign to put an end to the IRA. As [Polizero](http://www.polizeros.com/2005/03/15.html?ref=opendemocracy.net#a5174) blogger Bob Morris puts it,"The McCartney sisters are now playing on a very big chess board, with some of the players no doubt caring little personally about them or their brother."

Is America falling [out of love](http://brainster.blogspot.com/2005%5F03%5F13%5Fbrainster%5Farchive.html?ref=opendemocracy.net#111110080262671043) with the IRA? It is, if the [American Ireland Fund dinner](http://www.sluggerotoole.com/archives/2005/03/about%5Fthat%5Fendl%5F1.php?ref=opendemocracy.net) last night is any indication. Calls to disband the IRA by US politicians have been renewed. But Gerry Adams is still on the charm offensive [here,](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas%5Fopinions/story/290522p-248674c.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) and [here](http://expatyank.blogspot.com/2005/03/appropriate-body.html?ref=opendemocracy.net), and [warned](http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/15/news/adams.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) that forcing the IRA to close shop in "a humiliating fashion" could end up leading to a more radical replacement.