REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dia dhíbh a chairde. Tá an-áthas bheith anseo libh inniu ar an ócáid speisialta seo.
Ladies and Gentlemen, and to all of you from the world of swimming who have come together today to our wonderful new National Aquatic Centre, I extend the warmest of welcomes, ‘céad míle fáilte , one hundred thousand welcomes both to Ireland and to the European Short Course Swimming Championships.
I know that for each and every swimmer here today, these championships represent the culmination of long, hard days and months of dedicated training and commitment. When your less sporting friends were out partying, or watching television you were in the pool planning and preparing for this day. Already you have earned our respect and admiration and we wish for you everything you wish for yourselves over the days of the competition. I also extend a warm welcome to those whose work and support inspires and encourages your pursuit of sporting excellence, the trainers and coaches, the physios and medical advisors, the administrators, the officials, the volunteers, the media, the families, friends and the members of the public who together have helped to make this event memorable. Ireland is particularly happy to welcome Bartalo Consolo, President of Ligue Europeene de Natation (LEN), the European governing body of swimming, and the Presidents of the Governing Bodies from many of the competing countries.
Lots of people have worked hard to make these championships possible and each is due our thanks. Among them is a woman deserving of special mention for her wonderful leadership of the fantastic team which is hosting this event - that is Betty Beattie, President of Swim Ireland and Manager of the Irish team. I am sure you’ll agree that the championships are set to be a huge success, the best yet and that Betty and her team have done a very fine job.
Over the next four days this, the premier short course swimming event in Europe will be broadcast to millions of people throughout Europe and the USA. Thanks to you, they will enjoy a feast of top-class swimming. It is our hope that you will enjoy not only the swimming but the chance to get to know Ireland and its people and that you will return home not just with trophies but with the gift of new friendships and happy memories.
Our National Aquatic Centre is a very new facility but already not a stranger to competition at the highest level. In June of this year Ireland had the great honour of hosting the 7000 athletes from 160 countries who participated in the Special Olympics World Summer Games. This Centre played its part in what was for us a magnificent national effort involving every corner of the country and an army of thirty thousand volunteers. The excitement those Games generated was wonderful and today that sense of excitement returns to the National Aquatic Centre as we watch the very best swimmers from thirty-nine European countries. Through sport the differences of geography and history are transcended. Through sport you make friends with people from very different backgrounds and circumstances and through sport you show the world how humanly decent and inspiring it is to participate in common, competitive, but life-enhancing endeavours. Sportsmen and women are the very finest role models for a global family that aspires to peaceful and respectful co-existence.
We thank the Ligue Europeene de Natation who chose to bring this prestigious swimming event to our country. We thank each of you for coming to Ireland and a special thank you also to Fáilte Ireland, our National Tourism Development Authority which provided sponsorship as part of the Government’s International Sports Tourism Initiative. At the end of the day the welcome you experience is down to the smiles, the handshakes, the greetings and the spontaneous friendships you each offer to each other. I know Swim Ireland and its voluntary Board of Directors have created a wonderful atmosphere - just right for a wonderful sporting occasion. Enjoy it, enjoy Dublin and to all of you a very happy Christmas. I am delighted to declare the European Short Course Swimming Championships officially open.
Go maire sibh. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.