REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A YOUTH ENCOUNTER, ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN ON MONDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2004
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A YOUTH ENCOUNTER, ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN ON MONDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2004
Cuireann sé an-áthas orm agus ar mo fhear céile, Martin, fáilte ó chroi a chur romhaibh go léir go dtí hÁras an Uachtaráin inniu.
I hope you are all enjoying yourselves. It is a great pleasure for both Martin and I to welcome each and every one of you to Áras an Uachtaráin.
It’s good to have a get together in September because we can do with a little lift at this time – school Summer holidays and work Summer holidays have ended for most of us anyway – anybody off to the sun in the coming weeks please keep it to your self as we don’t want to know - evenings are drawing in that noticeable bit so we hope that this afternoon will help to keep your spirits high and that you will enjoy the afternoon at the Aras. This house is steeped in history and tells the story of the changing fortunes of this island over the past more than two hundred and fifty years as well as telling the story of the relationship between this island and its nearest neighbour. So please take the time to look around the house and discover its many treasures this afternoon.
We have young people from every part of this island – North, South, East and West here today. Many of you will be meeting for the first time. As some of you will know the theme of my Presidency over the past seven years has been to build bridges between people and communities and one of the easiest bridges to build is to extend a hand in friendship to someone else. I hope that you will take the time to get to know someone in this room who was before today a stranger and that you will leave here having made some good and lasting friendships.
What the world needs now perhaps more than ever before is more friendship and less hostility. As I look around me at the many young faces in this room today, the possibilities for them, the opportunities ahead, the joy they bring, I can’t help but think on the terrible events that happened only a matter of days ago that quenched so many lives, many very young lives, in a school in Beslan and left many more injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering, our hope that the broken-hearts and broken bodies will mend and mend quickly.
We also hope that those who perpetrate such acts will experience a change of heart and that our troubled world will not know such days again. We know such things are possible when respect and understanding replace bigotry and hatred and we in Ireland know it better than most for on this island many hardened hearts have softened and a lasting peace has replaced decades of violence. We hope that other troubled parts of the world will come to know that peace too.
For your entertainment this afternoon, we have the very talented St. Cronan’s Boys National School Choir from Bray. Thank you for helping to make the afternoon enjoyable with your wonderful choral rendition. I would also like to thank our MC this afternoon Mr. Paul Kennedy and our friends from Civil Defence for their expert assistance. My thanks also to the staff at the Aras who were up very early this morning doing the hoovering and helping me put out the cups and saucers. Enjoy the afternoon and I hope that you will leave with many pleasant memories of your visit to the Aras.
Go raibh maith agaibh.