Irish President Urges Migrant Embrace in St. Patrick's Address

In her first St. Patrick's Day address as president, Catherine Connolly urged Ireland to embrace migrants as symbols of resilience and courage, drawing parallels between the saint's own story of enslavement and the experiences of those fleeing war and persecution today. Delivered on March 16, 2026, the video message emphasized hospitality and solidarity amid global displacement, while also warning against the normalization of war and reaffirming Ireland's commitment to peace.

Connolly recounted how the young man who became St. Patrick was trafficked across the Irish Sea from Britain in the fifth century, later returning as a missionary to raise awareness of slavery's consequences. "The story of Patrick's life serves as a reminder of the resilience and courage of migrants, the invaluable contributions that they have made, and continue to make, to the countries they now call home, sometimes even in the face of great adversity," she said. She linked this history to modern challenges, noting that Patrick's narrative speaks to "the millions still subjected to trafficking, forced labour and displacement today."

The president called on people to invoke St. Patrick's spirit by...