In a packed ballroom on the first floor of the White House last night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin presented US President Donald Trump with live shamrock in an Irish-crafted crystal bowl.
Many of the gathered Irish American politicians and officials wore green ties, jackets and dresses.
There was even a green MAGA hat in the mix.
In remarks beforehand, President Trump said "I love the Irish".
He said as a New Yorker, no one knew the Irish better than him.
Mr Trump said many members of his cabinet who were in the room had Irish heritage, including the Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.
"We're always going to have that special friendship," he said.
"The bond between our nations is as old as our country itself."
Quoting George Washington Mr Trump described Ireland as the "friend of my country in my country’s most friendless days".
Among the attendees was Michael Flatley who received a big cheer from the invited guests.
President Trump described him as "one of the greatest dancers of all time".
Mr Trump went on to quote what he called an "amazing statistic".
"50% of the people that won the Congressional Medal of Honor were Irish American," he said.
Turning to Micheál Martin’s wife Mary O’Shea, Mr Trump asked if she could believe that statistic.
Taking the podium, Taoiseach Micheál Martin largely kept the focus on the benefits of Irish American economic ties.
"We build prosperity through free and fair trade with partners all over the world and particularly here in these United States," he said in an apparent reference to Mr Trump’s penchant for tariffs.
"Let us continue to build on that foundation, bringing ever growing prosperity to all of our great people, let us continue to work together to make sure that we maintain that mutually beneficial two-way economic relationship that allow innovation and creativity and prosperity to thrive," Mr Martin said.
He commended the US President on his pursuit of peace deals in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"There is nothing more noble Mr President than the pursuit of peace, and this is what you are doing," he said.
The decades-old ceremony came at the end of a busy day for the Taoiseach in Washington, beginning with a breakfast meeting at the official residence of Vice President JD Vance followed by a long, freewheeling fireside press conference with President Trump in the Oval Office and a luncheon hosted by the Friends of Ireland Congressional group on Capitol Hill.
Everywhere the Taoiseach went, there were warm handshakes and smiles from Irish American politicians, for whom the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations are an unmissable event.
"No matter who may occupy the office of President of the United States at any given time, what’s more important is the enduring bond between the peoples of the United States and Ireland," said Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle.
"I am proud that through the decades, no matter who may be President or Taoiseach, the annual St Patrick’s traditions go on. It’s a tremendous advantage that Ireland enjoys, and that many nations envy."
Shamrock tradition dates back decades
The bowl of shamrock presented to US President Donald Trump by Taoiseach Micheál Martin is part of a tradition dating back decades.
Mr Trump received a "beautifully crafted" Irish-made crystal bowl containing fresh shamrock to mark St Patrick's Day.
The bowl was adorned with imagery representing Ireland and the US.
The presentation of shamrock to the White House has long been a symbol of the relationship between Ireland and the US.
The tradition dates back to 1953, when Ireland's Ambassador to the US John Joseph Hearne first presented a bowl of shamrock to US President Dwight D Eisenhower.
Since then, the ceremony has continued annually through successive administrations with John A Costello being the first Taoiseach to present the bowl in 1956.
Typically, the shamrock is presented in a crystal or silver bowl, with both options designed to represent "Irish excellence in design and artistry".
For this year's ceremony, the shamrock was provided by Living Shamrock, a company based in Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry.
The crystal bowl was created by the House of Waterford, part of the Fiskars Group, known for its fine Irish crystal production.
