President Barack Obama on Tuesday appointed Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and one of his strongest supporters, as ambassador to Ireland. The announcement coincides with ceremonies and meetings between Obama and Irish officials to mark St. Patrick's Day.

"I am honored and grateful that such a dedicated and accomplished individual has agreed to serve as the representative of the United States to the Irish people. Dan Rooney is an unwavering supporter of Irish peace, culture, and education, and I have every confidence that he and Secretary Clinton will ensure America's continued close and unique partnership with Ireland in the years ahead," Obama said in a statement.

The 76-year-old Rooney is the recent recipient of the American Ireland Fund's Lifetime Achievement Award. He co-founded the American Ireland Fund, a group that has raised over $300 million for peace and education programs in Ireland, in 1976.

The same day as the appointment, the President met with the the Taoiseach of Ireland, Brian Cowen, in the Oval Office along with Vice President Joe Biden. The three leaders attended the annual Shamrock Ceremony in the Roosevelt Room after the talks.

Obama joked about his Irish blood during his meeting with the Taoiseach, saying ""We may be cousins. We haven't sorted that through yet. But even if by blood we're not related, by culture and affinity, by friendship and mutual interest, we are certainly related. This gives us an opportunity to just continue to strengthen the incredible bonds that we have between the two countries."

The President also met with Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. He is scheduled to speak at a St. Patrick's Day luncheon in the Rayburn Room on Capitol Hill to be hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Martin met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday at the State Department and discussed the global economy, Afghanistan as well as the recent violence from two factions of the Irish Republican Army that oppose Northern Ireland's peace process.

"What has emerged from the past week, as I spoke and discussed with Secretary Clinton, has been a very strong unity of purpose from both the Irish and the British Government.. we will never go back to the bad old days and that we're very anxious to... ensure the continuation and the enhancement of the extraordinary achievements of the past ten years. And of course, America has been particularly important in relation to those achievements," Martin said in a joint press conference with Clinton.

The White House will hold two receptions Tuesday night to celebrate St. Patrick'd Day. Obama present in the events, together with First Lady Michelle Obama the Vice President, Second Lady Jill Biden and Taoiseach Cowen.