REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF BELVEDERE HOUSE MULLINGAR, CO WESTMEATH
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF BELVEDERE HOUSE MULLINGAR, CO WESTMEATH MONDAY, 8TH MAY 2000
Is cúis mhór áthais dom bheith anseo libh inniu ar an ocaid specialta seo. Tá me buíoch díbh as an chuireadh agus as fáilte fíorchaoin a chur sibh romham.
I am delighted to be here today in Westmeath to officially open this magnificently restored House and Gardens on behalf of Westmeath County Council. I would like to thank P.J. Coghill, Chairman of Westmeath Council, for his kind invitation and words of welcome.
Of course as President, I have the privilege of living in fairly impressive surroundings myself, but I think that even the Áras, with all its turbulent history, is left in the shade when you look at Belvedere’s colourful past. ‘Where else would you find passion, romance, revenge and a Jealous Wall?’ asks your brochure. Where else indeed? I hardly dare speculate but I can assure you that the Áras won’t be in competition!
You could certainly teach many a place a thing or two about getting the crowds in. Of course you’ve a head start here - not just in terms of having such a wonderful house and magnificent natural setting – but also because of the fascinating story of Belvedere. It is an irresistible tale of jealousy, revenge and emotional cruelty by the first Earl of Belvedere towards his young wife. A story which reminds us of how powerless women were in the eighteenth century, and indeed in far more recent times. It’s an indication of how much things have changed that Westmeath had the good sense to appoint Ann McGuinness as the first woman County Manager in the country.
Projects of this kind serve a dual purpose. It is worthwhile in itself to restore places such as Belvedere which are such a unique and irreplaceable part of our heritage. Cherishing our past, recognising it as a treasure and a resource, is not in any way incompatible with our being a modern forward-looking nation. On the contrary, it is a measure of our maturity as a nation that we are now coming to terms with our rich and complex history. That realisation is the best possible guarantee of facing the future with confidence and with a complete and rounded sense of who we are as a people.
A second important aspect of this restoration lies in its tourism potential. Last year alone, tourism generated three billion pounds for the Irish economy. But there is no doubt that the benefits of that business have been unevenly spread. In particular, the treasures of the lakelands in this part of the country have enormous potential which is only now starting to be fully explored. I have no doubt that the newly restored Belvedere House, which has been described in the Irish Arts Review Yearbook, as ‘the gem of the Irish midlands, one of the most distinguished in Ireland’ will do much to rectify that imbalance, providing a focal point for tourism pursuits in Westmeath and putting the County firmly on the national tourism map. One hundred and sixty acres of the most beautiful parkland on the shores of Lake Ennel, combined with over sixty kilometres of trails and woodlands, are bound to be a huge attraction in this area.
Westmeath Council are to be congratulated on their foresight in identifying Belvedere’s potential and in doing such a superb job on its restoration. I am aware that this was a very ambitious project which cost in the region of £5 million. Significant funding was made available by the EU and FÁS - indeed everywhere I visit I seem to be following in the footsteps of FÁS! It took a great deal of hard work and dedication by everyone involved to do such a wonderful job. But I’ve no doubt that this project has provided the craftspeople and FÁS workers with many new skills and valuable experience which will serve them well in their future careers.
I congratulate Westmeath County Council once again on this exceptional achievement and I wish you every success in the future. It gives me great pleasure to declare Belvedere House officially open.