Dead Irish Writers
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| “Dead Irish Writers” | |
|---|---|
| The West Wing episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 59 |
| Written by | Aaron Sorkin (teleplay) Paul Redford (story) |
| Directed by | Alex Graves |
| Guest stars | Mary-Louise Parker Roger Rees Hector Elizondo Robin Thomas NiCole Robinson |
| Production no. | 227216 |
| Original airdate | March 6, 2002 |
| Season 3 episodes | |
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| List of The West Wing episodes | |
"Dead Irish Writers" is episode 59 of The West Wing.
[edit] Plot
As Abbey contemplates the likelihood that her medical license will be taken away the following day, she grumpily attends a big White House party for her birthday. Bartlet receives another visit from decorous British Ambassador Lord John Marbury, who argues against Bartlet's meeting with a murderous Irish terrorist. Meanwhile, Sam meets with Senator Enlow, who is blocking the funding of a controversial scientific project that would cost billions, and is visited by his old college professor who harangues him to make peace with Enlow (whom Sam can't stand) to fund the project. Donna discovers that the national border near her Minnesota birthplace has been redrawn slightly—making her officially a Canadian. Abbey, C.J. and Amy Gardner mischievously sneak out of Abbey's birthday party to drink and gossip. Donna joins them because her citizenship status has kept her out of the party, and makes a pointed comment that brings the consequences of Abbey's actions home to her. Abbey then tells her husband that she will agree to surrender her license for as long as he is the President. Donna finds out she will be able to become a U.S. citizen again with a simple written test.
The title "Dead Irish Writers" comes from a discussion Toby and Lord John Marbury have regarding a controversial author who has been invited to the White House. Marbury claims that the author is a member of the political wing of the IRA and repeatedly states that he "cannot come to the White House." Marbury then tells Toby that the conflict between Ireland and the UK is centuries old and the United States, because of its youth, cannot fully understand it. Marbury and Toby then exchange a series of quotes and loosely link them with the situation regarding the Ireland/ Northern Ireland conflict. At the end, Marbury obliquely tells Toby that precisely because he is an enemy in the conflict, the IRA leader should come to the White House after all (though official policy remains opposed to such a meeting). Interestingly, among the three quoted authors--Rudyard Kipling, James Joyce, and Eugene O'Neill--only one of them, Joyce, was Irish. Kipling was born in Bombay, India, and O'Neill was born in New York.
[edit] Trivia
Lord John Marbury refers to Lagavulin Single Malt whisky as an Islay malt (with the emphasis on the 's', so that he pronounces it 'Izlay'). It's actually pronounced [ˈaɪlə], as in 'eye-lay'.
Abbey refers to the pancreas as the organ that produces hydrochloric acid. It is actually the stomach.
