REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A RECEPTION IN ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN TO MARK THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A RECEPTION IN ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN TO MARK THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT
Is cúis mhór áthais dom fáilte a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin inniu.
Firstly let me say how delighted I am to welcome each and every one of you to the Áras in this very special year of the 175th anniversary of the RNLI. We are joined here today by people from lifeboat stations and fundraising branches all over this island, North and South, and I hope that this get-together will give you all a chance to meet and mingle, swap stories and experiences and, hopefully, build a few new friendships.
The RNLI has a long and proud history of saving lives on these islands over the past 175 years. It is a resource which has grown and thrived over the years, with the latest station in Sligo Bay now just one year old. A couple of months back I had the pleasure of launching a new boat for the Fenit Lifeboat Station and I saw for myself how much dedication and commitment is required on the ground to provide such an excellent service, day-in day-out, year after year. We have become so used to having a service of such high quality and reliability, that perhaps it all seems effortless to outside eyes. I know that this is far from being the case – it takes a great deal of hard work - and we should never take that tremendous generosity of spirit for granted.
As an island nation, the sea is one of our key natural resources, providing for generations a means of livelihood and survival to countless coastal communities. In more recent times, it has has been a mainstay of our tourist industry. But we know also the danger it holds, the lives it has taken and the many more lives which would have been lost had it not been for the dedication and courage of so many voluntary crews in stations around the country.
Sadly, some of those stations have lost members down through the years, people who put their lives on the line to save the livesof others, and paid the ultimate price for so doing. Today, we remember those individuals with pride and gratitude. We remember too, their families and friends who had to live with the loneliness and grief of their loss. I would like to also extend a very special, heartfelt thank you to the present day men and – increasingly, I’m glad to see – women, who serve in stations and run branches around the country. It is not only the spectacular acts of bravery you should be proud of, but also the day-in day-out commitment to training in all weathers, to answering calls for help, whatever the time of day or night. It is even more remarkable that you do so in a voluntary capacity. That answers in a very clear way those who wonder out loud if we are becoming a more selfish people. All of you here today, all of your fellow-volunteers in local branches, speak of a people who do care, who give of their time and energy for no other reward than knowing that a need exists and that they can help. On behalf of the Irish people, and especially the many thousands of individuals who have received your help over the years, I would like to warmly commend you for your courage, selflessness and community spirit.
It is that voluntary ethos which has enabled the RNLI to survive and flourish down through the years. Technology may have changed the means of rescue, but one thing which has remained the same is the simple, single goal of the RNLI: to save life at sea. Your vital work would not be possible if it were not for the generosity of the Irish people and many individual benefactors. That constant generosity is an indication of the very high esteem in which the RNLI is held in Ireland. But I know that fundraising remains a time-consuming and often thankless job, but it is an essential part of your work and one which deserves great recognition. I would therefore like to warmly commend the many fundraisers, especially those who are here with us today, for their tireless work and the major contribution they have made to the success of the RNLI.
One of the keys to the RNLI’s success has been the wonderful sense of teamwork and co-operation which exists: between members, between crews and with the Irish Marine Emergency Service. Marine emergencies do not recognise boundaries of nationality or location. So it is both appropriate and essential that the RNLI is such a fine example of an all-island organisation and of Irish-UK co-operation and mutual support. I extend an especially warm welcome to members of Lifeboat Stations and fundraising branches who have joined us here today from Northern Ireland.
This occasion provides a very welcome opportunity for me to meet with many members of the RNLI. I would like to pay tribute in particular to the Committee of Management and to Claire Brennan and all of the staff of the RNLI Ireland Office, for their assistance in making this day possible. I would also like to warmly commend not just all of the RNLI’s volunteers, but also their partners and family members. They may not be in the frontline of the service, but their support and goodwill is an invaluable element in the success of the organisation.
This reception is my way of saying thank you to all of you, on behalf of the people of Ireland. I hope that you all have a most enjoyable day. A special word of thanks is due to our musicians for helping to make this a special occasion: the Galway Boys choir and Eoin McDonagh, Caroline Manning, Niamh Roche and Ailbhe McDonagh from the Wolfgang Ensemble String Quartet.
Thank you all for coming. May the spirit of courage and selflessness which has been the hallmark of the RNLI since its foundation, continue to thrive for many years to come.
Go gcúití Dia bhur saothar daoibh.