REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE TIDY TOWNS EVENT, KEADUE, CO. ROSCOMMON, SUNDAY, 18TH APRIL, 04
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE TIDY TOWNS EVENT, KEADUE, CO. ROSCOMMON, SUNDAY, 18TH APRIL, 2004
Dia dhíbh a cháirde. Tá áthas orm bheith anseo libh inniu i Keadue ar an ócáid speisialta seo.
My warmest congratulations to everyone in Keadue! You have yet again claimed a tidy towns victory over stiff and enthusiastic competition from some 700 villages and towns the length and breadth of the country. Congratulations to you for not only winning the title of Ireland’s Tidiest Village which is a great achievement in itself, but also in taking the much coveted overall National Award for 2003.
You are of course no strangers to success with Keadue’s first title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town going back a decade, when you were the first village to bring the coveted bronze plaque west of the Shannon. Since that time Keadue has been consistently highly placed in this tightly contested competition where, invariably, only a handful of marks separate the top performers each year. And as Irving Berlin put it “The toughest thing about success is that you’ve got to keep on being a success”. Having reached the top you didn’t rest on your laurels, instead you asked – ‘what now? How can we do what we do even better?’ It’s than can do attitude that has brought Keadue and its community the accolades and a respect that stretches far and wide.
Nestling here at the foot of the Arigna Mountains, in such resplendent surroundings, your competitors couldn’t be blamed for perhaps feeling slightly aggrieved that nature has given you such a good start in terms of natural beauty and as the saying goes ‘tús maith is leath na hoibre.’ But it is truly only half the work and if it wasn’t for the great energy and commitment and effort of many people, we wouldn’t be here today celebrating this double victory. We owe you a special vote of thanks and hope that your commitment to making Keadue a special place to visit or live in will live on for many, many years to come.
Of course, Keadue also boasts a rich cultural and archaeological heritage, with the nearby 5000-year-old Neolithic Court Tombs of renowned archaeological significance; the Crannógs on Lough Meelagh, which were occupied up until the 17th Century; the Holy Well of St Lasair, still a place of pilgrimage, from where it is said over the centuries, emigrants brought St. Lasair’s clay with them to countries around the world, to ensure blessings on their new lives in foreign lands.
These artefacts have been carefully protected and cherished through the years and while the area around Keadue and Lake Meelagh has witnessed tourism and recreational developments they demonstrate respect and sympathy for the natural environment, and for local heritage.
And of course, Keadue is now synonymous with Turlough O’Carolan, the “last of the bards”, whose patronage by the McDermott Roes gifted us with such marvellous airs, and who is commemorated each August by musicians from around the world. The O’Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School in Keadue has grown to become a ten-day celebration of Irish music, dance, culture and crafts, which places this small village firmly on the international map.
My sources tell me that over half the population of Keadue is directly involved in Tidy Towns activities, evidence of the sense of community pride thriving here. What’s also particularly heartening is to see that so many young people are involved, ensuring that Keadue’s future is not only in safe hands now but will be in the years ahead. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sé mar a deirtear. As you more than most know, Tidy Towns is not a Summer affair. It is a year round endeavour that demands careful planning, a lot of time and even more hard work. Even as we are here paying tribute to the 2003 National winners, I am conscious that hundreds of Tidy Towns Committees around the country are making their final preparations for entry into the 2004 competition. Keadue has set them an enviably high standard to aim for.
Making it to the top is not possible without a team of leaders, local people with a strong sense of place, vision, and an aspiration to be the best in Ireland. That valuable leadership is provided by our MC today, Paraic Noone, Peter Mc Niff, Peggy Campbell and Valerie Barry to mention but a few.
Equally though, it is not possible to become Ireland’s Tidiest Town without the support and hard work of the entire community. We all have a duty to at least protect and if possible, enhance our surroundings and the environment. But, it is always easier to hope that “someone else will do it” than it is to say “I accept that this is my village, my community, and I will play my part in making it a good place to live”. For not taking the easy way out and for making this splendid victory possible, I thank you on behalf of all residents and visitors to Keadue. You have volunteered to make a difference, and did it with style!
Take pride in what you have achieved - you’ve worked very hard to have your village recognised as the Tidiest Town in Ireland (for the second time!), so enjoy your well earned success.
Go maire sibh. Go raibh maith agaibh.