Denise Murphy McGraw of Niskayuna got to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the White House.
The Niskayuna resident described it as an amazing, surreal, once-in-a-lifetime event.

Murphy McGraw is on the board of the Irish American Museum. She is also a proud Lady Hibernian and runs a national organization called Catholics Vote Common Good.

With those credentials, she received an invitation for brunch with President Joe Biden.

She is one of about 120 Catholic leaders from across the country who received an invite.

Other guests included the ambassador from the Vatican and the prime minister of Ireland.

She said that he was very engaged.

“I was with him for about two hours yesterday in all kinds of settings. He was at the podium. He was working the room. He did a little bit of adlibbing. They gave him a microphone and he walked around a little bit more. I saw him interact with other people,” she said.

Murphy McGraw added that she is not worried about Biden’s fitness for the office.