"I'm like a lot of my friends right now; I have a hard time watching the news," Clinton told an Irish women's group.

But she urged a divided country to work together to solve problems, recalling how – as first lady – she met with female leaders working to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

Hillary Clinton says she's 'ready to come out of the woods', encouraging communication across political divides.

Photo: Bloomberg

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"I do not believe that we can let political divides harden into personal divides," she said. "And we can't just ignore or turn a cold shoulder to someone because they disagree with us politically."

Friday night's speech was one of several she is to deliver in the coming months, including a May 26 commencement address at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, her alma mater.

The Democrat is also working on a book of personal essays that will include some reflections on her loss to Donald Trump.

Clinton, who was spotted taking a walk in the woods around her hometown of Chappaqua, New York, two days after losing the election to Donald Trump, quipped she had wanted to stay in the woods "but you can only do so much of that".

Hillary Clinton, left, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrive during the 58th presidential inauguration on January 20.

Photo: Bloomberg

She told the Society of Irish Women it will be up to citizens, not a deeply polarised Washington, to bridge the political divide.

"I am ready to come out of the woods and to help shine a light on what is already happening around kitchen tables, at dinners like this, to help draw strength that will enable everybody to keep going," said Clinton.

Hillary Clinton has urged a divided country to work together to solve its problems.

Photo: Instagram

Clinton was received warmly in Scranton, where her grandfather worked in a lace mill.

Her father left Scranton for Chicago in search of work during the Great Depression but returned often.

She spent summers at the family's cottage on nearby Lake Winola.

Clinton fondly recalled watching movies stretched across a bedsheet in a neighbour's yard and told of how the cottage had a toilet but no shower or tub.