When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams. It was first published in 1912. It was used as the opening song on the radio show Duffy's Tavern.
[edit] Shamrock Summit
While popular throughout the years since its composition, the song gained some notoriety in Canada after the so-called Shamrock Summit in 1985 between Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. An evening of festivities culminated in a joint performance of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" by Reagan and Mulroney, which raised some controversy later among Canadian commentators such as Jack Granatstein.
