Remarks at North South Reception to Mark the 12th of July,
Áras an Uachtaráin , 12th July 2001
Cuireann sé áthas ar mo chroí fáilte fíorchaoin a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin. Is ócáid speisialta í domsa agus tá gliondar orm í a cheiliúradh libh anseo inniu.
It is a great pleasure for myself and Martin to welcome you to Áras an Uachtaráin this afternoon, and to thank you for accepting my invitation to come here to mark the “Twelfth” with us. I offer each of you the traditional Cead Mile Fáilte - one hundred thousand welcomes. We gather as descendants of the Williamite and Jacobite traditions in an Ireland, our lives profoundly shaped by the outcome of that famous battle on the banks of the Boyne. We gather with many different perspectives on this island’s history, many different ambitions for its future, but with a determination that those differences will not stand in the way of being friends to one another or of building shared memories together. I know for some coming here this day was much more than a journey of miles but a generous journey of the heart that took some courage. We are delighted that so many are here in this house which probably more than any other house on this island is itself symbolic of the shared history to which we all belong- even if on opposing sides. For one hundred and fifty years this was the home of the Viceroys who governed Ireland in the name of the British Crown. Here Queen Victoria planted trees, Winston Churchill played as a child, Lord Mountbatten visited to thank the Irish for their help to the Allies during the second World War. Here too the Irish Presidents have resided since 1938, linking past, present and future and making this a place, which holds a part of everyone’s story.
The Battle of the Boyne, whose anniversary we mark today, is indelibly imprinted on our history and culture. It was, of course, an event of European significance, if not for the whole world. Around it pivoted the fate of empires far beyond our shores. And it still resonates, still rewards reflection. With great wisdom and insight, Patrick Kavanagh, the centenary of whose birth we celebrate this year, wrote:
The Twelfth of July, the voice of Ulster speaking,
Tart as week-old buttermilk from a churn,
Surprising the tired palates of the south.
I said to myself, from them we have much to learn,
Indeed we have a lot to learn about each other for neighbour regrettably does not always know neighbour as well as they should or could. As John Hewitt has written”we build to fill the centuries arrears”. Like a pair of horses yoked together, we have to learn to pull together or forever pull in opposite directions, going nowhere and the signs are growing that we are beginning to comprehend how much we have to offer one another without taking anything away from each other in the process.
The tragedy in our history cannot be undone, but its oppressive weight can be lifted by the thousands of acts of kindness done by thousands of people, slowly building trust, friendship and harmony over many years. You are part of that tide of goodness, of risk taking, of building confidence in each other. The agenda for today is very simple. Enjoy each other’s company. Enjoy the house, the hospitality, the music and the memories. This day which has so often been seen as a day when division and difference are reinforced can with respect and joyful cultural curiosity be a day of enjoyable and shared celebration and commemoration.
I hope you enjoy the entertainers here this evening to give us a flavour of the traditions and cultures that we share; the Aisteoirí Óige Choir under the superb direction of Siobhan Ni Dubhain, Teresa O’Donnell, the delightful harpist you met in the Front Hall, and the animated and captivating Teadaí.
I would like to thank our MC for this afternoon, Eugene Downes, and the Civil Defence Officers on duty and the staff here at the Áras who work very hard to make occasions such as this enjoyable for everyone.
I hope that all of you have a most enjoyable evening, and that you bring home many warm memories of your visit to Áras an Uachtaráin.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.