REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF DUBLIN ADULT LEARNING CENTRE
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF DUBLIN ADULT LEARNING CENTRE’S 3RD ANNUAL SUMMER SCHOOL
Firstly, I’d like to say how delighted I was to be invited by Mary Maher – the Director of the Dublin Adult Learning Centre – to open this year’s Summer School. I would also like to thank everyone for your warm welcome this afternoon – at the start of what looks like a most interesting programme of workshops and sessions.
When I was at Queens University, as Pro Vice Chancellor, one of the areas in which I took a particularly keen interest, was that of access to education – of opening up access, to try to get rid of the notion that education is the preserve of an elite who – through family or economic circumstances – could be ‘fortunate’ enough to take part in something that was a privilege. Indeed, since becoming President – that interest hasn’t left me – and I find that I keep coming back to this again and again.
As you may know, I am Patron of the national Adult Literacy Agency – and as with all of the organisations of which I am Patron – I met with them shortly after agreeing to be their patron a few months ago. At that meeting, I was deeply moved by a lady who had to face a literacy problem in recent years – a problem that she was forced to face when one of the five children she had protected and educated, wrote to her from his new place of work in Germany - and when she found herself ashamed that she was unable to pen a reply.
I was struck by her anger at missing out on an education when she was young – on missing out on the wonders of reading when she was a child – of adventures - of romance - or just everyday things of interest. And she had also missed out on her children’s education – she was unable to help in their reading and writing – in advising on what they might do in their homework – or in just going over their reading or poetry with them. But her great anger at missing those opportunities was matched by an equal sense of joy at the windows and doors that had been opened by being able at last to read – and the sheer pride at being able to write her son a letter with ease.
Meeting that woman, who had lived with the shame of a predicament which was not of her making - brought home to me yet again how easy it is to fall away from education at that critical time in our lives – how a small gap can quickly grow to become a large chasm – how simple it is to lose touch. That lady knew she would have to go back to education – to start over again to learn to read and write – but she just didn’t know where to start looking.
For many of us, particularly, those of us who have been away from formal education for a long time – or who had a troubled time during those important years – education can be intimidating – can put us off – can conjure up images of tests and exams – of degrees or diplomas – and all the pressure that that brings with it. But education has different forms – there is a type of learning and education to suit everybody. It is possible to learn without having to sit an exam to prove it.
This Summer School – like the previous two Schools – is a place where you can explore what you have learnt – and where you can build on the skills which you have already acquired – to ‘use’ education to work for you. You will have an opportunity to share your experiences with others who have come through the same process – but from different backgrounds. It is also a timely opportunity to establish links across the border – or even to renew connections - to hear of the fears and attitudes of your fellow learners to the unfolding developments that are taking place at this time in Ireland – changes which will affect all our lives – as we look again at what we have learned and been given to understand about those on the ‘other’ side - as the Scots poet, Edwin Muir put it,
“Where each askes from each
what each most wants to give
And each awakes in each
What else would never be”
Indeed, I was reading this morning of a Minister in a Church in Lucan in County Dublin – who had been born and educated – and well educated at that! - in the village of Lambeg in County Antrim – and how his preconceptions about people were completely shattered when he arrived in Lucan 15 years ago – when he met a local priest who opened up a whole new dimension to his life. It struck me that it was so easy to live close to people but not beside them – to assume that what you have learned is enough – that you don’t need to use your basic skills to look and look again.
Over the next four days you will have plenty of opportunity to look at what others have been doing – and at how they have been using their skills to explore the world of creative writing – to learn about other people and other places – about the history of Europe and its peoples. You will be using your education to work for you.
In declaring the Summer School open – I hope that you have an enjoyable and enlightening time at the school – and that you can continue to ‘learn’ in the broader sense – always using and building on the skills you are acquiring through education – and always prepared to critique what you are doing and believing in the light of new information and experiences.