During his 2012 visit to New York and Boston, President Higgins addressed many subjects and issues affecting both Ireland and Irish America.
The six-day visit included a meeting with UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, a commemoration ceremony at New York's 9/11 Memorial, meetings with business audiences in both New York and Boston, a visit to the Irish Hunger Memorial at Battery Park, meetings with Irish emigrants at the Emerald Isle Immigration Centre in the Bronx and the Aisling Irish Community Centre in Yonkers.
In Boston, the President attended a business lunch hosted by the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia, had a meeting with Mayor Thomas Menino, and led a ceremony commemorating the Great Famine.
On the second last day of his trip, President Higgins visited the 'Innovation Ireland' lunch at the University of Massachusetts Club.
You can read the President's speech here.