REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE LIMERICK PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE LIMERICK PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD IN THE CLARION HOTEL LIMERICK
Tá gliondar orm bheith anseo libh inniu ag an ócáid speisialta seo. Go raibh maith agaibh as ucht bhur bhfáilte fíor chaoin, fíor Luimneach.
It is good to be back in the lovely county and city of Limerick again and to be among the people whose lives are committed to making Limerick a vibrant success commercially, culturally and educationally. That commitment is the lifeblood of community and literally thousands of good people make that commitment here day in and day out, raising their children well, helping their neighbours, investing in education, bringing jobs, putting on entertainment, promoting sport, outreaching to those experiencing the many difficulties that life brings so randomly and that make us so vulnerable. Limerick has those people in abundance and they go about their business each day with no thought of thanks or reward and virtually no public acknowledgment, their courage, kindness, genius, goodness, success rarely the stuff of headlines. That is precisely why these awards are so essential and so important and why I am thrilled to be here to present the Limerick Person of the Year Award. My thanks to tireless Manus O’Callaghan for inviting me to join with you in this celebration today and indeed to you all for that very kind welcome.
The nominees for today’s award each have a unique and inspirational story to tell but linking those stories is a deep commitment to making the name of Limerick proud. They are leaders who inspire by example and who challenge us to a new level of self-belief by presenting us with the evidence of what can be done when we only try and keep on trying.
Today is the anniversary of the inauguration, in 1961, of John F. Kennedy. In his address he made that now famous appeal ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’. Our nominees are the embodiment of that message and their nomination and recognition are I hope, a reassurance and an encouragement to all the men and women, boys and girls who are working to make this county and our country a better place to live but whose contributions are often hidden from all but their immediate family, street, school community or workplace. George Eliot put it well when she said “…. the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts, and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life (and rest in unvisited tombs).”
This Award is recognition of all those individual acts of good which enrich our lives and make them decent and worthwhile. The Award is not given lightly. It has to be earned and earned the hard way.
Our nominees are each entitled to take righteous pride in being here and they are each entitled to our respect, admiration and gratitude no matter who walks away with the ultimate prize. Who would be a judge confronted with such a range of talented and fine human beings? Certainly not me.
Organising an event like this is in itself a huge job and I congratulate everyone whose labours have brought us together for this outstanding event, the organising committee, the judging panel, the sponsors and the staff here at the Clarion. I congratulate and commend you for what you have accomplished and I hope that this kind of recognition will encourage more and more people to invest their talents and energies in making Limerick and Ireland the very best they can be for everyone.
Gura fada buan sibh. Go raibh maith agaibh.