Remarks at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Áras an Uachtaráin, Saturday10 December 2016
Céad míle fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin.
Sé bhur mbeatha uile. Thar ceann Sabina agus thar mo cheann féin cuirim fáilte ó chroí romhaibh anseo inniu le bheith rannpháirteach linn agus muid ag chur tús le ceiliúradh na Nollag 2016 in Áras an Uachtaráin.
[Sabina and I are delighted to welcome each and every one of you here today as we celebrate the official start of Christmas 2016 in Áras an Uachtaráin.]
Today, the tree lighting 2016 is a very special day, because today I have the greatest pleasure of welcoming and meeting lots of families who have come in a very special year, the centenary of 1916. I know that you have come here from every corner of this island, and indeed further afield, and I want to offer a warm Céad Míle Fáilte to each of you.
One of the most important things about Christmas is the valuable opportunity it gives us to enjoy the gift of togetherness; to reflect and realise how lucky we are to be surrounded by those who love us and care about us.
For many of us it would be impossible to imagine Christmas Day without our families or without the memories we carry of all the traditions that we have built up together over the years. We bring these traditions with us into adult life and, in time, pass them on to our own children and to their children, each generation weaving something precious into the family Christmas story. In essence, that is the most important part of Christmas; more important than any presents, parties, or even Santa coming down the chimney on Christmas Eve. The coming together of families, friends and communities, and the placing of each other at the very heart and centre of the festive celebration, is what our tree lighting is about each December.
Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach, mar sin, tráth na Nollag, go mbeadh cuimhne againn ar cháirde, ar chomharsana agus ar chomhghleacaithe, agus ar chomrádaithe scoile nach raibh an t-ádh leo chomh mór agus a bhí linn féin, agus go mbeimis cineálta dóibh agus go ndéanfaimis iarracht an Nollaig a dhéanamh beagán níos sona agus níos éasca dóibhsean.
[Christmas is a time of rejoicing for many, but it is also a time of reflection. It can be a difficult time for some, a time when we miss family and friends who are no longer here, but who we know would want to see us smile and laugh and remember them with joy during this festive season.]
Christmas can be a challenging time for those who are living far away from the country of their birth and who depend on the kindness of new friends and neighbours as they celebrate Christmas in a new country, and a new home.
When we light the Christmas tree in Áras an Uachtaráin, we will remember the bereaved who are finding this Christmas difficult; we will remember those on the edge, the marginalised in our society, our homeless people, and those who are worried about keeping a roof over their families’ heads; we will think of all those who are sick or lonely or feeling sad or worried; we will have in mind in a special way our new Irish community as they recreate precious family traditions here in their new homeland; we will be thinking of our emigrants, especially those who cannot make it home this Christmas; we will be sending our warmest appreciation to members of the Irish Defence Forces who will be absent from home this Christmas due to peace-keeping duties abroad; and we will remember all the wonderful people who will be working this Christmas to keep us safe and well – the Gardaí, the fire service and all the medical staff who will ensure that the sick and the elderly continue to be cared for while the rest of us are enjoying our family celebrations.
Let us also this evening, and through the season and coming year, remember the friends and neighbours, and colleagues, or school friends who are not as fortunate as us, and let us resolve to reach out to them and to try to make their Christmas a little bit happier and a little bit easier.
There is a saying: “kindness is the most valuable gift you will ever give”, and my wish is that we all give and receive this precious but priceless gift in abundance.
I hope today will become a joyful Christmas memory for you all in years to come.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the family of Anthony Foley, one of our sports greats, whose presence is deeply missed. I would also like to especially welcome Jane and Brendan McKenna, founders of the Laura Lynn Foundation, whose courage, devotion and remarkable strength has changed the way we provide palliative care to children and families at the most difficult of times.
Indeed, may I thank the Áras Team who have worked so hard to make the place so festive and enchanting, and work to give us food and drinks we are enjoying. May I also thank our friends and colleagues in OPW who did such a magnificent job of decorating our Christmas tree, it is truly a wonderful sight to behold; our first aiders from the Civil Defence, and, of course, our talented entertainers: -
- David O’Connor on piano
- The Kilmessan Community Choir
- Solo Singer - Aimee Banks
- Jugglers and Stilt Walkers – The Fanzini Brothers
- Storyteller & MC - Niall de Búrca
and last, but not least, entertainer extraordinaire – Jack Wise, who has mastered the art of being comedian, magician and corporate entertainer all in one; truly magical indeed!
A special thank you to you all for coming here this afternoon and for helping to make this a special and memorable Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful time and I wish each and every one of you a very happy and peaceful Christmas. And to all the children here today, I hope that Santa will bring smiles and joy all round.
Nollaig faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise daoibh go léir. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
