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Dead Irish Writers

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"Dead Irish Writers"

"Dead Irish Writers" is episode 59 of The West Wing.

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. 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.

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. 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.

Trivia

Lord John Marbury refers to Lagavulin Single Malt whiskey as an Islay malt (with the emphasis on the 's', so that he pronounces it 'Izlay'). It's actually pronounced , as in 'eye-lay'.

Abbey refers to the pancreas as the organ that produces hydrochloric acid. It is actually the stomach.

External links

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