REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE FOR THE UNVEILING OF A SCULPTURE IN LEIXLIP PLAZA
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE FOR THE UNVEILING OF A SCULPTURE IN LEIXLIP PLAZA ON 23 NOVEMBER, 1998
Firstly, I would like to thank you for the very warm welcome I have received today in Leixlip – on my first visit in an official capacity as President. Like most people in Ireland that have travelled the road from Dublin to the West of Ireland, I am no stranger to Leixlip – and I have watched it grow from a small country village to a centre of population on the periphery of the Dublin region – particularly over the last twenty-five years.
I am delighted to be here in the heart of Leixlip – one of Kildare’s busiest towns – and steeped in a history which dates back many centuries – reflected in the Danish origins of its name – Leixlip – the Salmon Leap for which it has been renowned for centuries. Like many other towns and villages on the national roads network, and especially in more recent years since the increase in population and traffic that has come with the Tiger economy – Leixlip has suffered its own share of traffic problems - with congestion and traffic encroachment even into residential areas – all of which have a slow but cumulative effect of draining the life and unique character from places as people are forced to avoid the chaos and turbulence that comes with it.
Thanks to the great efforts of the Town Commissioners – supported by a patient business community and very caring residents - the people of Leixlip are, by now, happily aware of the positive advantages of a by-pass which has allowed some fresh air and space to return again and considerably reduced the volume of traffic that had been slowly choking the life of the village. There is now a palpable spirit of pride and optimism about because the town is now a safer, quieter, cleaner and more attractive place in which to live, to work and to visit. There is a new sense of discovery for people who are fortunate to live in the Leixlip area – discovering and rediscovering its coloured past and its natural beauty lying as it does at the confluence of the Rye and the Liffey, and in the shadow of Leixlip Castle.
For my part, I was delighted to have the opportunity to be associated in a small way with your successful efforts to bring life back to the town by unveiling a piece of sculpture representing the influence of these two rivers on the town and its people – and proving a focal point for resident and visitors alike to spend some of their leisure time.
I would like to commend the people of Leixlip who firmly seized the opportunity presented when the new by-pass was opened in 1994. Over the last four years, the Town Commissioners – to their great credit – have been busy with a whole programme of environmental improvements - re-establishing the identity of the town as reflected in its streets, laneways and squares. For any Irish town or village wishing to assert itself as a place of beauty and character, the most natural way to gain recognition is through the Tidy Towns Competition. Indeed, many towns and villages have been put firmly on the map of places to go through their participation in the Competition over the years. In the case of Leixlip, the work since the opening of the by-pass has been reflected in the steady progress in the Tidy Towns Competition that has been made through the efforts of the Tidy Towns Committee. In 1998, the adjudicators report on Leixlip commended the work that had been done “with the undergrounding of wires”, with the management of litter, and the “improvements that have been made particularly on the approach roads, and along the main street” - and then went on to suggest that “you are now free to improve further areas and gain greater marked under this competition”. Looking around me today, I can see that Leixlip has tremendous potential to excel in the Tidy Towns Competition, encouraged by your inexorable climb through the ranks. Indeed, Leixlip can be held up as an example to others as how a large centre can benefit from taking part in the competition.
Situated so close to Dublin and playing host to two major high-tech industries, Leixlip is fairly unique in having a transient population – with many people leaving for work in the city and many coming here to work. I know that being in that situation can present its own difficulties – with ongoing requirements to look at the management of traffic including the optimisation of public transport. With the continuing development of your town and the changes in its economic fortunes, there is a need to constantly review what you are doing and how you are delivering your services. By what you have achieved in a few short years, I know that you are well placed to continue to work for the good of the community – and to continue to meet the many challenges and opportunities that will come in the years ahead.
Leixlip should be proud of what it has, and grateful to all those you have contributed to making it a better place to be – a place of which those who live, work and visit can be proud.