REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE AT THE 32nd AMERICAN IRELAND FUND GALA DINNER
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE AT THE 32nd AMERICAN IRELAND FUND GALA DINNER NEW YORK THURSDAY, 3 MAY, 2007
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The American Ireland Fund’s 32nd Gala Dinner and here I am back among Ireland’s best friends. Thank you for the very kind invitation from the American Ireland Fund and its wonderful Chair, Loretta Brennan Glucksman, who continues to do the work of two people, keeping faith with the great work of her late husband Lew, the best honorary Irishman ever, as we heard in that lovely tribute to him earlier. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam – may he be seated at God’s right hand.
To the Honorary Chairman Bob McCann, the dinner Co-Chairs, to Kieran McLoughlin and his terrific team at the Fund, I offer my congratulations on organising such a splendid event. As one of this year’s honorees, I feel especially grateful and I join wholeheartedly in congratulating fellow honoree Martin Sullivan, President and CEO of AIG, and in saluting AIG and the Ireland Funds support for the gentle work of care for sick children championed by Paul Newman at Barretstown.
For over three decades now this annual dinner, though set of course in the United States, had as its emotional and intellectual backdrop, events in Ireland and especially in Northern Ireland. Sometimes the mood has been upbeat, sometimes it has been broken-hearted but never, ever has it been despairing. Always the “can-do”, “must do” message radiated out from this gathering and this country to all those disparate elements embraced by the term Peace Process. For a long time it seemed as if there was more process than peace and then we turned a corner only to find that there was peace but seemingly little process. Now your work and faith have paid dividends. In a couple of days a new administration headed jointly by those old sworn enemies, the DUP and Sinn Fein, will take on shared responsibility for the future of Northern Ireland. If there is a hint of the miraculous about these hope-filled times, and there is, then it is very important that we acknowledge those who believed that miracles could happen. The dead grip of history was prised open by the efforts of a lot of people on this side of the Atlantic, from successive American Presidents and their Special Envoys, Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen, on both sides of the aisle on the Hill, and Irish America and its circle of friends. There is no better example than the champions of the Ireland Funds. You have inspired us, encouraged us, supported us and we have cause to be deeply grateful for your care for Ireland’s peace and prosperity, your faithful vindication of the Irish heritage that long links Ireland and America, and whose contemporary power has been so radically effective. My duty, on behalf of all of the people of Ireland, is to express our warm appreciation and profound gratitude.
In a very real sense we are just at the beginning of this new Ireland’s possibilities, as peace and prosperity and partnership converge for the first time in our history. You understand this with great insight and intuition and so you understand that this is time for the accelerator and not the brake. Your work with individuals and small communities and a myriad of groups has been utterly fundamental in seeding and advocating a new culture of consensus. We are very grateful to see that the Fund is now working towards raising an endowment of $20 million to set its activities on a more permanent footing in support of consolidating the peace. When the Taoiseach visited New York for St Patrick’s Day this year, in recognition of the most valuable work being done by the Fund, the Irish Government announced support of your efforts to the tune of $10 million and I hope that level of support tells you just how respected you and your work are.
After a long and testing innings we are privileged to gather in the very best of times as Ireland, North and South, sets out on what I firmly believe to be an irreversible and hugely exciting journey towards the island of Ireland’s best future yet. So many of history’s shadows have lifted in recent times. Poverty, under-achievement and emigration have given way to the Celtic tiger economy in which American business has played such a stellar role. The old vexed relationship between Ireland and Great Britain has been superseded by a new level of friendship and partnership showcased by the success of the two Governments in jointly steering the Peace Process and by a memorable day in Croke Park when the English rugby team was welcomed so warmly you could feel the grip of history relax.
It is important that we remember the cost of this peace in terms of cruel suffering and that we commit to nurturing it especially through these early days. Not all the guns have gone, regrettably, and we particularly look forward to the promised dismantling of the extensive network of protestant loyalist paramilitaries as they complete their journey from war to peace. They are an important part of the jigsaw puzzle. And for them too there is a great future to look forward to and a wish from South of the Border to be good neighbours.
For the first time the Irish Government’s National Development Plan will invest huge resources in initiatives and roads infrastructure of massive benefit both North and South and the synergies released by this fresh alchemy has the power to engender the kind of economic success that would have Bob McCann and Martin Sullivan grinning from ear to ear. It has the power to help us broaden and deepen our understanding of the cultures and identities that cohabit on the island of Ireland, learning in the process to be less fearful and more joyfully curious in our dealings with one another.
So my message tonight is a simple one: stick with us for this is where things get really interesting. You helped shorten the journey to peace and prosperity. Now let us enjoy the rest of the journey together for without a doubt the best is yet to come.