White House Fountains Run Green for St. Patrick's Day at First Lady Michelle Obama's Request

The White House is going green for St. Patrick's Day. The water in the fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House has been dyed green to mark the national holiday of Ireland. March 17

From telegraph.uk.com:

White House fountains run green for St Patrick's Day at Michelle Obama's request.

The White House has gone green for St Patrick's Day. As President Barack Obama touted his own Irish ancestry, his wife, Michelle, ordered the fountains to run green for the day.

Mr Obama hailed Ireland on Monday for having as much influence on US culture and tradition "as any country on earth".

As fountains on the north and south lawns of the White House ran a brilliant shade of green, Mr Obama's affinity for Ireland bubbled over.

"This is an affirmation between one of the strongest bonds between peoples that exists in the world," Mr Obama said as he met in the Oval Office with the Irish prime minister, Brian Cowen.

Mr Obama said his mother's family could be traced back to Ireland, so he took a personal interest in the holiday. He even joked to Mr Cowen: "We may be cousins. We haven't sorted that through yet."

The First Lady, inspired by celebrations in her hometown of Chicago, where the city marks the holiday by dyeing the river green, asked that the White House fountains be dyed green.

Across America green dye was put to use in other ways. Food and drink - from bagels to beer - are typically tinted a greenish hue to mark the Irish national holiday.