Sinn Féin will not attend White House’s St Patrick’s Day event

Sinn Féin will not attend the White House for St Patrick’s Day events next month if invited by the United States government, the party has said.

In a post on social media on Friday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she had thought deeply about the issue in recent days and had spoken to people in and outside Sinn Féin.

She linked the decision to comments by US president Donald Trump threatening the “mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza”.

As Leader of Sinn Féin I have made the decision not to attend the event in the White House this year as a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza. pic.twitter.com/1FtXDDTocb
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) February 21, 2025

Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill, said she would also stay away from the White House for traditional St Patrick’s Day events.

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The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) described this decision as “reckless” as it confirmed its party member Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly would attend St Patrick’s Day events in Washington DC if invited.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson questioned how Ms O’Neill’s decision fitted with her oft-repeated pledge to be a “First Minister for all”.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald at a previous White House ceremony on St Patrick's Day in 2023.

Explaining her decision, Ms O’Neill said: “In the future, when our children and grandchildren ask us what we did while the Palestinian people endured unimaginable suffering, I will say I stood firmly on the side of humanity.”

Ms McDonald later said she supported Micheál Martin going to the White House and attending a bilateral meeting with Mr Trump, should he be invited, as the Taoiseach had a unique position to represent the Irish people and Government.

“I think the Taoiseach will go, I think the Taoiseach has to go,” she said.

She said Mr Martin should take the opportunity to address matters around Palestine “directly and with great force” with Mr Trump.

Responding to the Sinn Féin decision, Mr Martin said there was a need to double down on engagement with the US administration, both politically and with the president.

“We have an obligation to protect the livelihoods of many, many people in this country and to engage and discuss and profile the level of Irish investment in the US - companies like Ryanair who buy very significantly from Boeing, the Kerry Group, Smurfit-Westrock, Glanbia, to name just a few...

“From an Irish perspective, open and free trade is the optimum objective because it helps us to grow our economy - we are a small, open economy.”

Speaking to reporters in Mallow, Co Cork, he said: “Sinn Féin does what it always does - it engages in politics. I have a responsibility to the country.”

Regarding the Middle East, he added: “We need a consolidation of the [Gaza] ceasefire, we need a massive surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza and we need to create a political pathway to a two state solution.

“That is the Irish view on that issue.”

Reacting to Sinn Féin’s decision, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said: “Well, it’s always easier to just not show up, isn’t it?

“What’s much more productive is to show up, work hard and actually engage with people on complex and important issues.”

Mr Harris, who is attending the G20 summit in Johannesberg, South Africa, said dialogue was important with other countries to explain the Irish position, advocate for the people of Palestine and a two-state solution.