Is there any blarney in Hillary Clinton claims that she brought peace to Ireland?

Tonight's debate was the second time I was struck by Sen. Hillary Clinton's claim about her role in the peace process in Ireland. As a Claddagh wearing son of Irish citizens, I took note. Her claim reminded me of a lunch I once had with a literary hero of mine, the Irish poet Seamus Heaney, who praised Bill Clinton for helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Alluding to the kneecappers and killers of the tribal wars, he said: "We take our politics seriously." I agree. Bill Clinton moved that process forward, to his lasting credit. But Hillary? She's claiming a role in that process as strong evidence of her foreign-policy expertise. She gets support in that claim by the Irish-American newspaper, which has endorsed her. Says the paper: "She was with her husband every step of the way during his intervention in the Irish peace process, without which there would never have been the successful resolution that we're currently witnessing in Northern Ireland. " But could there be just a wee bit o' blarney in her claim? The Washington Post thinks so, giving her a giving her a Pinocchio Award for stretching the truth: "Hillary Clinton seems to be overstating her significance as a catalyst in the Northern Ireland peace process, which was more symbolic than substantive." 'Tis? or 'Taint? Cousin, let's have a pint and talk it over. See you downtown on March 15.