The final days before Bertie Ahern stepped down last week after 11 years as Ireland’s prime minister were packed with last-minute activities.

Ahern made several trips to the United States, including one to Boston in which he bestowed $2 million on the John F. Kennedy Library.

But it was his trip to Washington that put Rhode Island in the spotlight.

House Speaker Murphy traveled to the nation’s capital to meet with Ahern and sit in on the statesman’s address to a joint session of Congress.

Murphy told Political Scene he was proud to be on hand for one of Ahern’s last official speeches. “Afterwards, I had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Ahern in the office of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, along with Congressmen [James R.] Langevin and Patrick Kennedy and John Murphy of Home Loan Investment Bank.”

The speaker said he was also impressed by Ahern’s remarks about continuing the strong relationship between this country and Ireland.

In answer to Political Scene’s favorite question: no taxpayer money was used for Murphy’s one-day trip.