Forty years ago next Wednesday, on May 26th, 1964, Eamon de Valera made his first State visit to the land of his birth. He was fulsomely welcomed at the White House by President Lyndon Baines Johnson as a native son who had become Ireland's liberator, Ireland's senior statesman and Ireland's President.
"This is the country of your birth, Mr President," declared LBJ. "This will always be your home. You belong to us Mr President, just as in a very special way John F. Kennedy belonged to you."
But they flew the wrong flag in the streets of Washington to mark the homecoming. As was customary (and maybe still is) on visits by foreign dignitaries, public servants in the capital were given a few hours off and issued with the relevant paper flag to swell the crowds in the streets to greet the visitor during the ceremonial parade of welcome.
Dev was greeted by the flag of the Ivory Coast, fluttering overhead and enthusiastically waved by the obedient public servants. A mistake, but not a great one. Like the Tricolour, the Ivory Coast flag has green, white and orange panels, vertically disposed, but the orange is displayed next to the staff. It did not worry Dev. "This is a great occasion for me," he told LBJ. "I was here 45 year ago and in my work to interest the people of America in Ireland, struggling at that time for independence, I travelled throughout the whole of the United States. I spoke in all of your major cities, so truly I feel somewhat at home."
Apart from the personal memories it was a visit of some poignancy for President de Valera. Less than a year previously he had welcomed President Kennedy to Ireland and had promised to visit him in Washington. In his place stood the 35th President, LBJ, who had acceded to office on Kennedy's assassination. The memory of Kennedy was to permeate the entire visit.
One morning Dev interrupted his official rounds to drive without ceremony to visit Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy, the slain President's widow, at her home in Georgetown. Along with a couple of other Irish journalists, I accompanied him. Children's tricycles lay upended on the front lawn of the modest house, obviously more of a play area than a formal garden. Mrs Kennedy, pale-faced in a simple black dress with no jewellery and no make-up, greeted Dev warmly. They talked privately in a back room over a pot of tea for about a quarter of an hour. The young widow led the near-blind Dev by the arm down the steps to his car and the visit was over, without statement or comment.
On May 28th Dev addressed both houses of the United States Congress, meeting in joint session. He was introduced to the packed house by the Irish-American Speaker of the House of Representatives, John W. McCormack. In his speech he recalled being sent to America in 1919, not long after Dáil Éireann had declared Ireland an independent republic. "Our declaration of independence was made on January 21st, 1919," he proclaimed. "That is our Independence Day as July 4th is yours." Dev's impromptu declaration of an uncelebrated anniversary bemused the Irish among the audience.
He thanked the American people for the great support they had given to the newly emerging nation. And, in words that those planning protests against the forthcoming visit of President Bush might ponder, he referred to the enthusiastic reception which President Kennedy received when he visited Ireland in 1963:
"He was welcomed not merely because he was of Irish blood, not merely because of his personal charm. . .But he was honoured because he was regarded by our people as the symbol of this great nation, because he was the elected president of this great people."
His words at a formal White House dinner in his honour also have a timely resonance for the events of today. "You are a great nation," he said, "and you have great things to do in the world today, in the leadership of the world, in striving to get for humanity peace as a foundation for progress. We in Ireland are trying to do the same. We have got a certain freedom which you have not got. As a small nation we are not suspect. A big power is always suspect in its actions, no matter how well intentioned its actions may be; it is always open to a certain amount of suspicion.
"I have always hoped that our people would keep clear of blocs of every kind so that at any particular moment they would be able to advocate what they considered right and true."
He returned to the theme at another function in Washington, almost as if he had a prophetic sense of the troubled times ahead. He quoted from a speech made by President Kennedy shortly before his death in which he wished for an America whose military strength would be matched by its moral strength, the moral strength of its people; its wealth by their wisdom, its power by their purpose; an America that would not be afraid of grace and beauty, an America that would win respect not merely because of its strength but because of its culture.
After Washington it was on to New York for a quick tour of the World Fair and then on to Canada to start another state visit. He was welcomed by the French-speaking governor-general, Maj-Gen Georges-P. Vanier, and the prime minister, Lester B. Pearson, both of whom were quick to tell him they were of Irish extraction, like 2 million other Canadians.
For Dev the circle was complete. He had first set foot in Canada 45 years earlier as a stowaway aboard the SS. Lapland after his escape from Lincoln Gaol, which was masterminded by Michael Collins and Harry Boland.