‘I may be Irish but I’m not stupid’: Joe Biden’s controversial comments on Ireland

Joe Biden confused the name of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team with the reviled British paramilitary force the Black and Tans, who brutally repressed opponents of British rule during the Irish War of Independence.

The US president made the mistake on Wednesday when thanking distant relative and former Irish rugby player, Rob Kearney, for the gift of an Irish team tie after a victory against the New Zealand rugby team at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2016.

He said: “See this tie I have, this shamrock tie? It was given to me by one of these guys right here, who’s a hell of a rugby player who beat the hell out of the Black and Tans.”

The 80-year-old went on to correct himself during the speech in Co Louth on Wednesday – and the White House said it was “very clear” to Irish rugby fans the president was referring to the New Zealand rugby team the All Blacks when he made the mistaken reference.

Asked if he realised his mistake, National Security Council senior director for Europe, Amanda Sloat, said: “It was clear what the president was referring to, it was certainly clear to his cousins sitting next to him.”

However, Mr Biden was criticised on social media, with the incident being described as a “signature gaffe”.

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As he continues his visit in Ireland, we take a look at some of his controversial jokes and reactions to some of his past comments about the island.

He has frequently spoken of his Irish roots and his love for the country – but not all of his light-hearted comments have gone down well in the past.

‘Anyone wearing orange, you’re not welcome in’

When Mr Biden was vice-president in 2015, he made a joke when the then-Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny visited his house in Washington on St Patrick’s Day.

“Anyone wearing orange, you’re not welcome in… only joking,” he said, wearing a green tie as they smiled for a picture.

Orange is the colour associated with the Protestant majority in Northern Ireland, while green is used as a symbol by mostly Catholic Irish nationalists.

The joke, at the expense of the Orange Order, which counts Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MPs among its number, led to criticism from the DUP and a backlash on social media.

William McCrea, the former DUP representative for South Antrim, said he appreciated that Mr Biden said it was a joke, but called his comments a “slur” and said they were “disgraceful and careless”.

The party called for him to apologise. An official from his office said he made it clear that it was a joke.

‘I may be Irish but I’m not stupid’

The president opened a St Patrick’s Day speech at the White House last year with a joke about his wife Jill, and his Irish heritage.

He said: “Father, before I begin – bless me, Father, for I’m about to sin… I – well, I just want you to know, I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid. I married Dominic Giacoppa’s daughter [Jill Biden’s grandfather] so, you know, I got a little Italian in me now.”

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Some in the audience did laugh, but the off-the-cuff remark referencing his own roots left some unimpressed including Twitter users who shared their incredulity that he would infer that people from Ireland are “stupid”.

The president has repeated this joke on more than one occasion.

He joked his relatives ‘weren’t really in jail’

More recently, the US leader also joked about his experience meeting distant members of his Irish family.

He told the crowd: “When I went over to Ireland, It was a great experience. I’ve been to Ireland many times, but not to actually look up – to find my actual family members.

“And there are so many – and they actually weren’t in jail.”

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Biden ‘really not Irish’ as he has ‘never had a drink’

The joke seemed to go down well with the crowd who laughed and a second joke followed. Reminiscing about his stay, he added: “There’s still a place called Finnegan’s pub… that’s related to my family.

“I’m the only Irishman you ever met, though, that’s never had a drink, so I’m okay. I’m really not Irish.”

The president does not drink alcohol.

He then spoke about his Irish roots from his mother’s side of the family – the Finnegans and the Blewitts.