REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY MC ALEESE, AT A RECEPTION IN KINKORA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY MC ALEESE, AT A RECEPTION IN KINKORA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 1998.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir as ucht bhur bhfáilte caoin. Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo agus bualadh leis an méid sin daoine a tógadh mar Éireannaigh.
I would like to thank the Chairman of Kinkora Community and Mrs. Flood for their introduction and the honourable Marion Reed for her warm words of welcome to me today. I am absolutely delighted that I am able to be with you this afternoon on the first part of my State visit to Canada – indeed the first State visit by an Irish President.
I know that State Visits normally begin in Ottawa – and I am looking forward to travelling on to Otawwa tomorrow – but I managed to arrange for this detour to call into Prince Edward Island – and to Kinkora - en route.
Prince Edward Island has a special place in the history of Canada as the place where the negotiations for Confederation began. As it transpired, the people of the Island didn’t quite rush in to joining – no doubt because of the attraction of being semi-independent – but because of changing economic circumstances opted to join in 1873.
There is a long history to the presence of the Irish in Prince Edward Island. The first Governor and Lieutenant Governor were Irish born, coming from Donegal and Tipperary respectively – and it is said that they were probably responsible for the attempt in 1780 to change the name of the Island to New Ireland.
While people from all part of Ireland came to Prince Edward Island – it has very strong associations with County Monaghan, which, of course is twinned with Province.
As I was driving from the airport at Charlottetown yesterday – looking out at the fields of potatoes – at the lush pastures and neat farmhouses – I was reminded of one of County Monaghan’s most famous sons – the poet Patrick Kavanagh – who wrote so touchingly and eloquently about the farms and potato diggers in his native county. Of course, potatoes were to feature very significantly in Irish history - with the Great Famine arising from the crop failures of 1845, 1846 and 1847 – giving rise to a haemorrhage of people leaving for new lives in new places.
I have always had a fascination with the associations between Atlantic Canada and Ireland and Scotland – and how the two Celtic races came to live side by side here in Atlantic Canada. Of course, the Irish in Prince Edward Island came long before the Great Famine exodus of the 1840s - and by then were well established in the public and commercial life of the province. Curiously, the Monaghan migrants actually began in Glasgow, with people being encouraged to come by their parish Priest – Father Mac Donald –who it seems had inherited some land here.
Which leads me to wonder if Father Gilliland happened to inherit a piece of land back in Ireland – would you all go back with him!
As is the case with all emigrants – the requirement to survive in their new surroundings and environment means that they have to abandon their native tongue for that of their adopted country. But they were able to preserve some of the culture and flavour of their native land by bringing their local place names – and in the process establishing links that endure through the generations – giving them a sense of identity and belonging to a rich tradition and heritage.
Today we find “Monaghan Road” and “Emyvale” and “Kinkora” mixing in with places that sound like they might be in Ireland – “Kelly’s Cross” – “Emerald” and “Hope River”.
Emigration is always a two-edged sword – the tragedy of leaving the land of birth – of leaving loved ones who perhaps were never to be seen again - and then the hope and excitement of beginning in a new land, a place of opportunity.
You who are here today are the descendants of people who struggled and survived – who made Canada a great country - and yet you remember the country that gave them birth – the country that is proud of the many generations that have put down roots all over the world – playing their own constructive roles in the countries and communities where they settled. You are a part of the global Irish nation.
ENDS