REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT COMMUNITY GARDEN PARTY, ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN WEDNESDAY, 8TH JULY 2009
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT COMMUNITY GARDEN PARTY, ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN WEDNESDAY, 8TH JULY 2009
Dia dhíbh go léir, agus céad míle fáilte.
Good afternoon, everybody. Martin and I are delighted to offer each of you the traditional céad míle fáilte - one hundred thousand welcomes - to Áras an Uachtaráin. Today we are joined by visitors from every part of the island of Ireland, some from hundreds of miles away, and some from just around the corner. Wherever you have come from, thank you for making the effort to be with us for what we hope will be a memorable and happy day.
Many of you here today are involved or have been in some way or another with community, local or grassroots organisations. You have done so to fill a need that you saw existed and to fulfil a desire to reach out and help out, to give of yourself, to lend your arm to help another in their struggles. This is a noble impulse and it is, I’m glad to say, a great and proud tradition in this country. All around the country in parishes and townlands, in suburbs and cities, volunteers are working in every community to bring help to where it’s needed along with the hand of friendship and solidarity that only community can offer. Your work has brought people together, has created a sense of belonging and camaraderie which has helped turn neighbours into friends and prevented us from becoming strangers to one another.
One of my most pleasant duties as President is the opportunity I get to see the sheer scale of what is being achieved day in and day out through voluntary effort. This groundswell of community based activity has at its heart the plain truth of people caring for each other and building up their communities together. No one is in it for reward or glory, no one joins or forms a community organisation for thanks or recognition, instead it is the simple human virtues of care and kindness that bring people together in a spirit of generosity and decency to meet the needs of others who are in need of our help and who deserve our help.
There is an old Irish phrase giorrian beirt bothar – two shorten the road and it is true particularly of life's sorrows and life’s difficulties. In times of personal trouble it is often only the knowledge that we have friends, family and community that we can rely on that helps us get through in one piece. Together you have helped many on their difficult journeys through life, your presence and your care have made the difficulties easier to bear and have shortened many a road.
Today is an opportunity for me to express my profound thanks to you all for all that you do, for all the innate goodness and kindness that inspires your actions. Ireland is fortunate to have people like you who build up our communities and make life better for all of us. Today I get a chance to say thank-you and to offer you the hospitality of my home for an afternoon of fun and friendship. I hope you enjoy your time here - the company, the craic, the cuisine, the ceol, and the chance to see the house.
Make yourselves at home. I hope you'll enjoy getting to know one another - you all share so much in common.
On your behalf and on that of Martin and myself, thank you to the wonderful Áras staff, the entertainers, Civil Defence, the Gardaí, the Tour Guides and everybody who has helped to make the day very special. But most of all, thanks to you for being with us.
Have a great afternoon, and return home safely.
Go raibh mile maith agaibh go léir.