I once almost made it to the White House for St Patrick’s Day.

I was a Senator and invited during Barack Obama’s term.

Except someone forgot to confirm with us that we were going, and as we drowned our shamrock in Dublin, an email came through asking me to make my way to the Pennsylvania Avenue gate of the American President’s house.

I am still green when thinking about it.

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Would I go now? I wouldn’t: not just because Trump is in situ, but because I have seen how people from here operate in such environments.

Watch the footage uploaded to social media later this evening, and you will see egos tripping over each other, cameras shoved in faces, and all manner of falseness as politicians jostle for the perfect camera angle, while hangers-on’s eyes rove the room, scoping out the best people to be seen with.

One time, at an event in Dublin, a former taoiseach asked his aide: “Who is that person who keeps shuffling over beside me and smiling?”

When the name of the northerner was duly given, the politician replied “Well, what the f*** do they want?”

The aide laughed and said: “A photograph with you for their social media account.”

And that is what happens. Little meaningful engagement, and lots of self-promotion on the selfie........

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