Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and MMA fighter Conor McGregor have marched in the Chicago St Patrick’s Day parade, writes Juno McEnroe in Chicago.
On the second leg of his US visit, Mr Varadkar was one of the top guests for the city march.
Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel also was among those in the front.
Mr McGregor was arrested in Miami last week after being charged by police for allegedly slapping a phone out of the hands of a fan and stamping on it repeatedly after the man attempted to take a picture of the MMA star.
He then picked up the phone and walked away with it, police said.
Mr McGregor refused to answer media questions at the parade about his arrest, and would only say “I love Ireland.”
A government source said it was known Mr McGregor was in Chicago and the fighter had even been expected to attend the Irish Fellowship dinner on Friday night in the city, which Mr Varadkar also attended.
However, Mr Varadkar, speaking to the Irish Examiner, denied that he was aware the fighter was in Chicago or that he would attend the city parade.
The Irish delegation organising Mr Varadkar’s itinerary in the US also said they were not aware the fighter would be in the parade.
