The Pope also mentioned that he often prayed for Taiwan. Before returning to Taiwan, Lien Chan's delegation, as expected, went to another European nation on a mission of "academic diplomacy." This time Lien went to historic Trinity College Dublin, where he spoke with Provost Tom Mitchell about increasing academic exchange between the two nations. Somewhat earlier, a former vice president of Ireland paid him a short visit.
在返回國門之前，連戰一行果如民眾所期待的，又轉往另一歐洲國家展開「學術之旅」，這次院長造訪的是歷史悠久的愛爾蘭都柏林大學三一學院，與院長密契爾晤談加強兩地的學術交流；稍早，愛爾蘭前總理雷諾茲曾禮貌性拜會連副總統。