REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT THE AISLING AWARDS EUROPA HOTEL, BELFAST THURSDAY, 29 NOVEMBER
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT THE AISLING AWARDS EUROPA HOTEL, BELFAST THURSDAY, 29 NOVEMBER, 2007
Tá an-áthas orm bheith in bhur láthair anseo anocht in Óstán na h-Europa ar an ócáid speisialta seo, bronnadh Gradaim na hAislinge.
Is onóir mhór domsa bheith i measc an oiread seo daoine a oibríonn ar mhaithe na cathrach seo. Ba mhaith liom buíochas speisialta a ghabháil le na heagraithóirí uilig, ach go h-áirithe le Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.
Is cúis bróid dom bheith i measc muintir Béal Feirste, mo mhuintir féin, is muintir mo fhear chéile, Martin.
It is an honour to be with you all here tonight on what is a marvellous occasion for all of Belfast, with representatives here from all sections of the city, in the presence of the Mayors of both Belfast and Newtownabbey. It is a night when we celebrate, acknowledge and reward the projects and people that make us proud.
Tonight, perhaps more than at any other time of the year, is a special night to be a Belfast person, born and bred; a great night to be a citizen of this city, full of history, of tragedy, cradle of passions that range from imperialism to republicanism, at once a hard-edged industrial and commercial city and a place of close-knit villages, a place of sometimes bitter words and yet of unequalled humour. A place today synonymous with hope as it works its way courageously through an historic reconciliation of its citizens. It’s good to be home and to be part of these tenth anniversary Aisling Awards. They were started in much less hope-filled times a decade ago but in themselves they gave support and encouragement to all those who were working across every aspect of life to build a decent, healthy and vibrant civic society.
In times when negativity and cynicism were easier to come by than optimism, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and his team focussed on those who were investing in a better future. Now the potential of Belfast and its genius is beginning to be revealed in these remarkable new days of tangible transition from a culture of conflict to a culture of consensus.
The welcome return of devolved government to Northern Ireland last May was for many a realisation of a dream, a vision for a wholly fresh future. Aisling is of course the Irish word for such a dream or vision and yet so often the dream here was to be frustrated. But not any more. The trojan work of ending the nightmare, of releasing people from the crippling grip of history has at last made of the Aisling, not an empty dream full of false hopes, but a reality, a lived reality changing people’s faith in the future and in themselves as agents of change.
Such a changed Belfast from ten years ago. A surging new confidence is transforming so many aspects of life and putting so many once skewed relationships on a happier footing.
2007 stands out as a year of new directions, a new sense of purpose, new relationships, new friendships. The respectful demeanour and the effective working relationship between the First Minister Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley and the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are not only remarkable in themselves but their example is itself a dispensation to the wider community to break loose from old animosities and find in one another the strategic partnerships that will consolidate the peace and deliver prosperity widely to everyone regardless of background or belief.
Tonight’s nominees and award-winners represent Belfast’s people in all their great variety. They are investing their very best to build up so many aspects of life, from politics to business, to community. They are not afraid to ring the changes, to do things differently, to force the pace of the future, for each one is characterised by a faith in this place and in its people and a pride in what is being, and what is going to be, accomplished here against all the odds. They are also men and women whose work is done without thought of personal reward or honour.
It is so important that they know how grateful we are to them for this journey is only truly beginning and it needs not only their ongoing commitment but the commitment of all those who dare to dream of happier times and wonder how to join the journey.
This is undoubtedly the most exciting time ever in the history of this island. The broken relationships within the family that is the people of Northern Ireland are beginning to mend and for the first time a generation may actually know what their genius can accomplish when it is harnessed in a common endeavour rather than wasted in fruitless conflict. The broken relationships between North and South are transforming into a good neighbourliness and a new era of partnership with huge scope to work together for the benefit of all. The historically fraught relationships between Ireland and Great Britain have been transformed into a warm collegiality and a shared focus on problem-solving exemplified by the Good Friday Agreement and its manifest success.
This generation knows too the cost of all this, the appalling human cost, the dreadful loss of life, hope and opportunity. It knows too the unfinished work that will complete the journey to a world beyond the politics and pain of sectarianism.
Yet we can say that no other generation has faced the future with such a warm wind at its back. Between us all - North, South, East and West - we have the opportunity to make this new dispensation shine, to give our children and grandchildren a blessed life, to give to those still in conflict all over the world, hope and help.
Good things happen because good people make them happen and tonight we celebrate the good people. I congratulate the nominees and the recipients of the Aisling Awards for 2007. You have done nothing less than give a new heart to Belfast, and with it new hope to Ireland.
Comhghairdeas do gach einne agus beannacht de oraibh ins na laethanna ata amach romhainn. Go raibh mile maith agaibh.