Speech at the Official Opening of St Patrick’s Gateway
Waterford City, 12th March 2015
Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo inniu chun an acmhainn nua mórthaibhseach seo, St. Patrick’s Gateway, a oscailt go hoifigiúil. Is mian liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le stiúrthóirí an ionaid as ucht a gcuireadh dom bheith anseo i bhur dteannta, agus libhse ar fad as ucht na fíorchaoin fáilte sin.
[I am delighted to be here today to officially open this impressive new resource, St Patrick’s Gateway. I would like to thank the directors of the centre for inviting me to join you here, and all of you for that warm welcome.]
I had the great pleasure, last year, of launching the Waterford mid-summer festival, which marked a special year for this historic city as you celebrated Waterford 1100. It was a celebration of Waterford’s rich and varied past, and a reminder of how that past has regularly punctuated the unfolding narrative of the island as a whole.
Today we gather on a twelfth century site which recalls to us, yet again, that this city pre-dates the Norman invasion, and indeed that it takes its name from the Norse word Vedrafjord meaning ‘haven from the windswept sea’. However, today is also a reminder of how Waterford continues to change and evolve – of how its roads and laneways and buildings and old family names span many decades and many different versions of the Ireland we know today.
All areas have their own treasures – their old castles or schoolhouses or courthouses or, indeed, churches such as this one. They are important resources in linking us to our past, in allowing us to understand the history that shaped our community and in helping us to take a real pride in playing our part in the ongoing evolution of that community.
For some 350 years, St Patrick’s Union Church has been an integral part of Waterford City, and today it still showcases part of the distinctive heritage for which the city is renowned. Like all great historic buildings, St Patrick’s connects modern day Waterford with its past, providing an authentic link between contemporary Waterford and its rich and varied history. Throughout the years, residents of Waterford have come to St Patrick’s to pray and worship, generation following generation to this quiet and hallowed space as, across the centuries, the world continued to evolve and change.
Today we mark the beginning of yet another chapter in the story of St Patrick’s; the creation of a new space of community for all the residents of Waterford. This historic building has been re-imagined and re-invented, not only through the creatively undertaken renovation and refurbishment of the Church and graveyard itself, but also through the vision of St Patrick’s Gateway Centre who have preserved the integrity of the building whilst also crafting a new resource for the social, cultural, artistic, sporting and educational needs of Waterford City.
Too often, in contemporary society, we have rushed to modernise, moved forward too hastily, without a backward glance, destroying much of the historic nucleus at the heart of our towns and cities. It is uplifting therefore to know, not only that the Church’s structure has been conserved and protected, but that it will remain as a place of worship for its increasingly diverse congregation, while also embracing the wider needs of the community. Indeed, the very ethos behind this Centre reflects the emphasis on social action in society that so defines the Methodist Church. Here in Waterford, as in so many parts of the country, the Methodist Church constantly seeks opportunities to make a proactive contribution to society, valuing solidarity and rooted in a spirit of caring.
Already, in the seven months or so for which the Centre has been in operation, it has hosted an impressively diverse and inclusive range of activities which I understand include adult literacy classes, art exhibitions, a graduation ceremony, an SME product launch, a weekly mother and baby group, choir rehearsals and English classes. There can be no doubt that the new Centre is already playing a critical role in enabling and progressing the active participation of Waterford residents in their communities and society, and I commend you all for that.
May I conclude by congratulating all those who have been involved in this innovative and creative project. I know this is just phase 1 of a larger scale initiative which will see a further extension of the facilities available. What you have achieved to date augurs well for the future of St Patrick’s Gateway. I wish you every success in that future, and I thank you for this important contribution to the Waterford community.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.