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Letter from Seán Lemass to JFK, tea towels and cufflinks among gifts presented to dignitaries by Office of the Taoiseach
@Source: independent.ie
The total cost of items presented by the department was €7,345, a third of which was for St Patrick’s Day events in the US.
Among the items presented were a €492 set of bespoke silver harp -cufflinks for former US president Joe Biden.
He was also given a Cooley Kickhams GAA jersey, while his wife Jill received a gift of silver brooches and a commemorative stamp.
Later in the year, then taoiseach -Simon Harris gave Mr Biden a letter from John F Kennedy to Seán Lemass following the American president’s visit to -Ireland in 1963.
The priciest gift in the department database was the €944.70 paid for 30 bottles of Irish whiskey for members of the European Council.
Along with that, each member of the council was presented with a -silver -Tipperary Crystal Christmas tree decoration, which cost €351 in total.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky received a €108 Aran sweater and an €80 bottle of Teeling whiskey
The prime minister of Luxembourg was given a framed copy of the Irish Proclamation of Independence, which cost €82.
Other gifts included an Ireland -soccer scarf and a personalised Irish soccer -jersey for UK prime minister Keir -Starmer, both of which were given free to the department.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr -Zelensky received a €108 Aran sweater from Mr Harris last September and an €80 bottle of Teeling whiskey.
Mr Harris also brought a €30 bottle of Jameson for the Ukrainian leader and a collection of Irish rag dolls and books for a children’s centre in Kyiv.
Other gifts presented last year included a bottle of Drumshanbo Gunpowder gin and a set of candles costing €98 to the premier of the State Council of China.
Gifts for delegations and visiting government staffers included cuff-links, -lapel pins, bookmarks and soy candles.
The deputy first minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelly -received a €23 magenta wool scarf, while governor of Massachusetts Maura -Healey was presented with a €63 silk scarf.
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