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Members of Enoch Burkes family when they were ejected from the Ireland Funds 33th National Gala dinner last year. Alamy Stock Photo
DC BLACKTIE BASH
No Covid…no Burkes? Taoiseach will be hoping for low-key Ireland Funds dinner for once
There’s been a running joke that the Ireland Funds dinner has been somewhat jinxed.
LAST UPDATE | 16 Mar
ONE OF THE Taoiseach’s main events before his meeting with US President Donald Trump tomorrow is the glitzy, $1,000 a plate Ireland Funds dinner tonight.
In the last number of years, there has been a running joke that the dinner has been somewhat jinxed for some Irish leaders, particularly Micheál Martin.
In 2020, Varadkar was rushed out of the fundraiser dinner when he was called off to attend an emergency meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
The next day, he would announce Ireland’s first lockdown.
Apart from Varadkar, Martin has had his own bad luck at the dinner.
In 2022, Martin had to leave the Ireland Funds dinner early after testing positive for Covid-19.
He was dubbed the ‘unlucky Taoiseach’ that year when, in dramatic fashion, he was whisked from the room (and away from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who he was sitting next to) having tested positive for the virus.
It was a big night for Martin, as then US President Joe Biden was in attendance (somewhat of a rarity for the event) and it was going to be a chance to have a chinwag with the president prior to their meeting in the White House the next day.
But Martin’s first visit to the Oval Office was scuppered, and he had to spend a few days in quarantine.
He ended up having to do a dreaded Zoom call into the Oval Office from across the street in Blair House where he was quarantining.
Martin eventually made it to the White House last year and had his moment in the spotlight with President Trump.
The meeting with Trump took place ahead of Ireland Funds dinner, so Martin probably felt he could relax at the event.
The Burkes
However, there was a major kerfuffle at the dinner last year when the Burke family turned up to protest over Enoch Burke’s imprisonment.
The family members were removed by security at the event.
Enoch Burke’s mother Martina and two of his siblings entered the private Ireland Funds Gala and began shouting during a speech by the head coach of the Washington Commanders NFL team Dan Quinn before being forcibly removed by police.
During the struggle to remove them, Martina, Isaac and a security guard were all knocked to the floor as they tripped over a curtain dividing the room.
It is unclear how the three gained access, but according to a police officer, the family did not have tickets to the event.
The next day, the Taoiseach downplayed the chaos caused by the Burke family at a St Patrick’s Day gala in Washington DC last night and defended the security measures that were in place.
“I think it was regrettable that that incident happened. People have a right to protest in a proper way and that is not a proper way,” he said.
Despite a year passing, Enoch Burke remains in prison in Castlerea, while earlier this month, his mother and sister, Martina and Ammi, were ordered by the High Court to be jailed for two weeks for contempt of court.
It is unclear if any of the other Burke family will stage another protest at this year’s Ireland Funds dinner.
The Journal asked the organisers of this year’s fundraiser if there will be extra security following last year’s incident.
A spokesperson for the Ireland Funds said it does not comment on specific operational arrangements for its events.
“Our Washington D.C. dinner on 16 March will take place as scheduled and as with all our events, standard guest management and security protocols will be in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable evening for all attendees.”
This year’s event takes place the night before Martin’s meeting with Trump on St. Patrick’s Day.
The Taoiseach will be hoping for a lot less drama this year and for a smooth sailing dinner, as his real test will be the next day in the Oval Office.
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