REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION IN TULLAMORE ON WEDNESDAY, 18 JULY, 2001
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION IN TULLAMORE ON WEDNESDAY, 18 JULY, 2001
Is onóir dom bheith i bhur measc inniu ag an ócáid seo agus tá me thar a bheith buíoch díbh as an chuireadh agus an bhfáilte chaoin a chur sibh romham.
I am grateful to the Urban District Council for the kind invitation to come to
Tullamore today and for your very warm Offaly failte. In this beautiful setting where river , canalside and mountains have helped create a lovely physical environment right at the heart of Ireland, the talent and commitment of the community has helped grow a successful, vibrant and dynamic county town. The pawprints of the Celtic Tiger are not hard to find here in this place where history also abounds. And there is time too for things beside work and study for you have a proud tradition in this county and in this town of sporting excellence which has resulted in more than one traffic jam on the road to and from Croke Park.
The wealth of heritage means the visitor can choose from the prayerful serenity of Clonmacnoise founded by St. Ciaran in the 6th century , or journey by train through ten thousand years of the Blackwater Bog; or wander the green forest, waterfalls deep glens and peaceful villages of the Slieve Blooms or visit the castles at Birr, Leap and Charleville. And of course you can revive the drooping spirits with a visit to the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, another of the towns recent assets. The centre has been praised by many for the excellence of its exhibitions but it also deserves recognition as one of the first examples of a public-private partnership in Ireland. I am delighted to have the opportunity today to visit the Centre and to say well done to those whose hard work made sure it happened. They are living proof of the truth of the Irish saying ‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’.
Today there is an air of optimism and regeneration throughout the country. We are a lucky generation to live through these times when there are opportunities on a scale few could have ever imagined. Those opportunities have to be used of course and they bring with them complex issues which tax the minds of politicians, planners and people alike. The challenge that presents itself to Tullamore, in common with many other towns is how to manage economic success while ensuring that it preserves its historic townscape. It is not easy to do. People want the best of services and they want their town showcased at its best, but Tullamore has managed to strike the balance well. You are entitled to take great pride in what has been accomplished here because it did not happen by accident but rather by effort. That effort is a sure sign of a resilient, healthy community- a place where people are prepared to work together to make things better for each other.
Earlier this morning I had the honour of launching new services for people with hearing disabilities at Lorelle Plaza. It’s a subject close to my heart raised as I was in a home with a profoundly deaf brother and so having some small idea of the kind of problems faced by those who suffer hearing loss. It is a disability which is easily, too easily forgotten but not here, thankfully, in this place where community life is dynamic and caring. I had a chance too to see that care at work in Riada House Residential and Day Care Centre and this afternoon I will visit Mount Bolus to officially open the Gleann Ard Housing Venture. That these places exist is more than a matter of luck. People commit to them, they give time, support, they fundraise and they stitch together the vital fabric of civic society without which life would be so impoverished. It has been a day to take pride in the people of this lovely place, to be grateful for all you do and for the store of happy memories this visit has given me.
Go n-éirí go geal libh. Go raibh maith agaibh.