REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE AMATEUR DRAMA RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE AMATEUR DRAMA RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN MONDAY, 10TH JANUARY, 2000
Is cúis mhór áthais dom fáilte a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin.
I am delighted to welcome so many talented people from all over Ireland, North and South, to Áras an Uachtaráin today. And in such distinguished company, I only hope I don’t fluff my lines.
We are very fortunate in this country to have such a rich tradition of amateur drama - a tradition which, I am delighted to say, has gone from strength to strength over the years and is in better shape than ever as we enter this millennium. In fact, one estimate I have seen, puts the audience for amateur drama in Ireland at over 400,000 people – an extraordinary figure by any standard.
It highlights very clearly the very central place that amateur drama and musical societies play in the social life of almost every village and town throughout the island – not just as a source of entertainment but also as a means of getting us to look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves, face up to our foibles and celebrate our strengths. On behalf of all of those audiences who have been entertained, amused and provoked down through the years, I would like to say a warm thank you to all of you here today.
Of course, it’s not just the audiences who have benefited. Many of our most celebrated playwrights and actors might never have turned their dreams into reality had it not been for the opportunities offered by amateur drama. But amateur drama has always been far more than just a stepping stone for the famous few. It has enriched the lives of thousands of individuals who have never sought the bright lights of Broadway - but who know the truth of that lovely old Irish saying: ‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’ - our strength is in working together. Whether on the stage or behind the scenes, they have experienced the enormous satisfaction and joy that comes from being part of a team which pulls together and creates something very special and unique. The quality of amateur drama in Ireland has always been outstanding, and many of the groups represented here today have been deserving recipients of awards for their work. But amateur drama has a reach and a richness for the individual which cannot be measured in the number of medals won or headlines in the local paper. It provides a focal point within the community, a place where unexpected talents are encouraged to blossom. It gives confidence to individuals, stretching them, encouraging them to achieve their best. Through amateur drama, people have encountered others whose paths they might never have otherwise crossed, and the best and most enduring of friendships have grown up around the theatre. And now, with an ever-increasing number of all-Ireland festivals, the scope for an even more vibrant network of friendships is greater than ever. For all these reasons, and many more, I am delighted to see that amateur drama is thriving among our young people, and I congratulate the National Association for Youth Drama for their work in this area.
I would also like to warmly thank the Drama League of Ireland for their tremendous work over the past thirty years and more in promoting amateur drama in Ireland – from writing to acting and production - and especially for your assistance in helping to organise this event.
I hope that you will enjoy this afternoon. We have some wonderful musicians here today to entertain us: Dr Clíona Doris who played the harp so beautifully for us in the Front Hall on your arrival; and here in this room, David and Joanne Quigley on piano and violin. It is, of course, an entire co-incidence that all three of them hail from the North.
Many of you don't know each other but before the afternoon is out I hope that you will have exchanged a few words with whoever’s beside you – told a story or two – there’s never a shortage of those in the theatre - and most importantly, made many a new friend.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh