Following his historic address to a joint session of both houses on Capitol Hill, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to travel on to Boston today where he'll deliver a lecture to the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Yesterday, Mr Ahern told the US Congress that after decades of strife and conflict, Ireland is now at peace.
“Our dream, and the dream of all of the friends of Ireland in America and across the world, has come true,” he said.
Bertie Ahern shakes hands with US Congress members after his speech
“If ever you doubt America’s place in the world, or hesitate about your power to influence events for the better, look to Ireland. Look to the good you have done."
He paid tribute to US involvement in the peace progress and in particular to former senator George Mitchell’s contribution to brokering the Belfast Agreement which brought a standing ovation.
In one of his last engagements as Taoiseach, Mr Ahern spoke of Ireland's long-standing ties with the US, saying "to be Irish is to be at home in America."
The Taoiseach was the sixth Irish leader to address a joint session of Congress and only the fifth political leader ever to have addressed a joint sitting of both houses in Britain and the US.
He was welcomed to Congress by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who issued the invitation.
In his 40-minute speech, which prompted several standing ovations, Mr Ahern said bonds between the US and Ireland went "beyond a friendship between countries” and that Ireland represented a bridge between Europe and America.
Mr Ahern said the September 11 terror attacks were "etched into the memory of all humanity" and praised the bravery of all those who died.
"In Ireland today, we are looking out from our own shores more than ever before - no longer with thoughts of exile, but to be part of the world."
In Ireland today, we are looking out from our own shores more than ever before - no longer with thoughts of exile, but to be part of the world - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
Speaking less than a week before he stands down as Taoiseach, Mr Ahern ended his speech by saying:"There are no finer words with which to finish and upon which to say: In history, in politics and in life, there are no ends, only new beginnings. Let us begin."
After the speech, Mr Ahern met President George Bush at the White House, the second time the two leaders have met this year, and was also honoured at a lunch hosted by Richie Neal, chairman of the Congressional Friends of Ireland in Congress.
Mr Ahern will address a lunch hosted by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland at the Boston College Club later today.
Following this he will deliver the Samuel and Elizabeth Jodidi Lecture to Harvard students and members of the Boston and Cambridge Irish Communities at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.