REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT AN IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION ST. HELIER, JERSEY FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT AN IRISH COMMUNITY RECEPTION ST. HELIER, JERSEY FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2007
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Dia dhíbh, a cháirde go léir. Tá mé iontach sásta bheith anseo libh inniu.
What a singular honour it is to be the first President of Ireland to visit Jersey and to have this opportunity to meet the Jersey Irish community and their families and friends. Here are the people who love Ireland and Jersey both, who feel deeply connected to both, proud of both and who are ambassadors for both.
The links between Ireland and Jersey are many and long-standing. We are partners in the British-Irish Council established under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, with the stated aim of “promoting the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships among the peoples of these islands”. Translated into plain English, this means that we, the inhabitants of these islands on the western edge of Europe, recognise and support each other, work together to our mutual benefit and celebrate not just our common cultural and historical heritage, but also that which is distinctive to each of us.
The experience of emigration and the struggle to settle in a new country are never easy. The emigrant heart knows two different heartbeats - where he is now and where he is from. Irish men and women have for many years been made welcome on this not-so-distant shore and in turn have helped to enrich economic, political, social and cultural life on this proud island.
To the people of Jersey, I say thank you for the hand of welcome and friendship which you have extended to the Irish who have come to your island to visit or to make their homes. To the many Irish people who have settled here, who have done so well and who are represented now in every sphere of civic life, I say, ‘Ireland is proud of you’.
I feel sure that you will agree with me that there is one particular Irish-born Jersey resident to whom we should all pay a special tribute - Pamela O’Neill, who for over 22 years has served this community as Honorary Consul of Ireland. Pamela, your guidance, strength and helping hand have surely cut short the anxiety, the loneliness, the worry of so many people in difficult times down through the years. Thank you for the dedication you show, the care you give and the professionalism you bring to your role as Consul.
Gathered here today are over a hundred guests and several different groups united in a shared love of all aspects of Ireland and Irish culture, such as the Jersey Irish GAA and the Cannon-O’Rafferty School of Irish Dancing. And I know that there are many of you here who may not be affiliated to Irish clubs or organisations on the island but who express your Irish identity in your day-to-day existence and who fly the Irish flag on those all important match days, and goodness knows, we’ve had plenty of those in past weeks! Let’s hope we can have a couple more!
In expatriate Irish communities, I often note the prevalence of the best of our traditions and values, even more so, in some cases, than is evident back home, as neighbour helps neighbour as in the meithil of old, and people look out for one another and draw each other into a community of mutual support and care. It is heartening to see and an example for all of us. I commend you for it.
To the army of volunteers, professionals, public representatives and all others represented here today who work so passionately on behalf of the Irish community on this island, I say a heartfelt thank you, as I do to all those who have extended such a very warm welcome today.
Go n-éirí go geal libh agus go raibh maith agaibh.