Irish president Michael Higgins is in the middle of a four-day tour of the Bay Area.
His appearance comes just a few months after five Irish nationals were killed in a deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley.
On Sunday night, Higgins spoke to hundreds at a reception in Woodside at the Fieloli House and Gardens.
"The main purpose of my visit is to make contact with the Irish community the multigenerational Irish community that have come here from the very beginning," Higgins said.
He’s visiting the Bay Area with his wife Sabina and said that many young Irish people who came here are working in science and technology.
His trip includes a visit to the Google headquarters and a meeting with Irish staff.
Higgins will also visit Berkeley where six people including five Irish students on J-1 visas were killed last June in a balcony collapse. He will meet those who helped in the wake of the tragedy. Along with Berkeley’s mayor, Higgins plans to plant a tree in honor of those who died.
