The song (Irish Eye are Smiling) gained momentary notoriety in Canada after the so-called Shamrock Summit between Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan held on Saint Patrick's Day, 1985. At the end of the evening, the two leaders jointly performed "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling".

And FYI, in 1976 I met Ronald Reagan in Helena MT before he became President (he lost the nomination to Ford). I have to tell ya, it was an awesome experience. I got to hear him speak twice! The small group conversation was about the Panama Canal.

There was no room at the hotel, so I had to sleep in my car. I offered to take tickets and thus why I got into the event. I did get Nancy Reagan's autograph and Ken Curtis (from Gunsmoke). I met Efrem Zimbalist Jr. too. Later in Oct 1985 I got to interview President Reagan's private pollster, Richard Wirthland, in Kalispell MT as part of my reporter duties (also got to interview Gov Pierre Dupont and met VP Bush).