Last St Patrick's Day, the unionists made a bit of a splash in Washington - probably because there were so many of them. However, things may not be as convivial this year. Moves are already afoot among Irish Americans to have politicians who continue to refuse to engage fully in the multi-party talks dropped from President Bill Clinton's guest-list for his evening reception on March 17th.
The lobbyists are not exactly banging on a closed door. The televised incident in which Jeffrey Donaldson MP tore up the Framework Document and David Trimble giggled by his side has not gone down well in Washington. It is often emphasised that access to the US president and the White House is a great privilege which is not lightly granted and, in keeping with puritan tradition, those who do not behave shall not benefit. "A calibrated response", whereby the good will be rewarded and bad punished, is the phrase coming from the White House. No decision has been made, but despite the size of the building, there is talk of the old overcrowding excuse being brought into play.
Those who feature on all the party lists will have a wonderful - or an exhausting - time, depending on their point of view. The White House reception is the tops, with guests of honour the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and Northern Secretary, Mo Mowlam.
But it all starts on Monday 16th when the British embassy hosts a St Patrick's Day lunch. That night Bertie and Celia Larkin, arriving in Washington from Toronto, will attend the Ireland Fund dinner in the National Building Museum. On the morning of the 17th, the Taoiseach goes to the White House with his crystal bowl of shamrock for Bill and has about 30 minutes of talks on the North. This is followed by Speaker Newt Gingrich's lunch on Capitol Hill, and after the 5 p.m. White House reception all will adjourn to the Irish Embassy residence where ambassador Sean O Huiggin (he of the new spelling) will host the annual hooley.