REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 2006 RYDER CUP THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 2006 RYDER CUP THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2006
Welcome to Ireland! Welcome to the Ryder Cup!
It is my pleasure to offer each of you the traditional Irish céad míle fáilte, one hundred thousand welcomes as we gather here in the K Club for the 2006 Ryder Cup. All around the world millions of golf enthusiasts are joining us by internet, radio and television for this celebrated team golf competition which pits the greatest golfers from the United States against the best from Europe. I welcome especially the members of both teams, their families and supporters and the media who are here in force to capture the drama of this mighty contest.
The Ryder Cup has come to the home of the oldest golfing Union in the world and to a country with a legendary golfing tradition. Our small island boasts well over 400 courses - in fact we are said to have more golf courses per head of population than anywhere else in the world and we are the proud possessors of 40% of the world’s links courses. No surprise then to see Ireland so well represented on the European team. We wish Darren, Padraig and Paul the very best of Irish luck.
Our ambitions for the 2006 Ryder Cup are very simple. We want it to be a thrilling showcase of golf and of Ireland. We want the colossal effort which has gone into organising this world-class event to be rewarded by an exciting tournament. Most of all we want this Ryder Cup to be the most enjoyable and memorable ever.
Congratulations to all those whose hard work has brought the 2006 Ryder Cup to the beautiful county of Kildareso successfully and every success to the competitors whose golfing genius will keep Ireland and the world enthralled over the coming days.
Go raibh maith agaibh – thank you.