The Washington-Ireland Program is an eight-week leadership programme that includes summer internships in Washington and community service in Ireland.

McAleese's online blog of his trip tells of trips to the Library of Congress, the White House and his work experience in public relations firm Weber-Shandwick.

It also has photographs of parties he is having with other interns and mentions his "local" down the road from the White House.

The blog gives no indication of his mother's status and only says that the twentysomething "has been living in Dublin for the past nine years". A message from "mum and dad" says they "are thrilled that the programme is such a mix of excitement, new landscapes, new people and instant friendships."

McAleese also shows his speech-writing skills and quotes an introduction he wrote with other interns: "We stand before you with an ambition. An ambition for a new Ireland. A diverse Ireland, based on a new idea, a new theme . . . one of community diversity. Based on values of compassion, integrity, freedom and equality. A community of ideas, backgrounds and beliefs . . . the foundations of a modern and diverse nation, a nation proud of its past, looking forward to and embracing its future."