REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF THE O’CAROLAN INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF THE O’CAROLAN INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL SUNDAY, 6 AUGUST 2000
Is breá liom bheith anseo i bhur measc ag an ócáid speisialta seo, agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl díbh as an chuireadh agus as fáilte fíorchaoin.
I am delighted to be back in Keadue and to join you today to officially open the O’Carolan International Harp Festival. I would like to thank Paraic Noone for the kind invitation.
This time of year is undoubtedly festival time in Ireland. Every town and village it seems finds cause to celebrate but here in Keadue, you will find a unique and fascinating celebration of our rich musical heritage. That heritage which we celebrate in this first year of the third millennium links us to a centuries old tradition earthed deeply in this place and in its people. Although the Festival itself is only some twenty-three years old, the musical legacy it built on is legendary.
And of course it was that legacy which allowed the Festival to grow from humble beginnings to today’s vibrant success story. Harpists and musicians from Ireland and abroad beat a path to Keadue to perform for an appreciative audience and to share their love of music with us. It is a tribute to the organisers that many competitors return each year to take part in the festival competition while many more arrive as visitors and spectators to experience up Keadue’s musical magic and the hospitality of its people.
The centrepiece of the Festival, the Harp Competition has drawn competitors from all over the world. Some of the competitors are of Irish extraction and it is wonderful to know they are so steeped in Irish music and culture though their lives are lived far from Ireland’s shores. They are part of our huge global Irish family, united by bonds of affection and shared cultural memory and we take a special pride in their talent and in their being here. Many of our very accomplished competitors have no roots in Ireland at all but they share with the Irish and the people of Keadue, a love of this particularly beautiful instrument and we are delighted to welcome such marvellous ambassadors for the harp.
The people of Keadue are proud of their connection with the great musical genius Turlough O’Carolan whose grave is just a short walk from here. This festival is a commemoration of his work and life. It is also a fulfilment of his dreams for a culturally vibrant and dynamic Ireland. Today his music reaches across history’s divide inspiring a new generation to take ownership of their musical inheritance and to breathe into it their own genius and the imagination of their own times. This Festival is a crucial keeper of that musical inheritance of yesterday and nurturer of tomorrow’s talent.
Today, we in Ireland are experiencing an era of unparalleled prosperity and cultural buoyancy. The reach of Irish traditional music and dance is global, indeed it has become something of a phenomenon in recent years. This festival provides an opportunity to showcase Irish traditional music and dance to a national and international audience. The setting is beautiful. It is intimate and welcoming, like stepping into a friend’s kitchen. I hope those who are here to enjoy the Festival will find new friends as they enjoy what will be the best of entertainment.
A tremendous amount of work and effort have gone in to making this festival such a success. The only factor which couldn’t be guaranteed was the weather! I have been coming here both as a child and latterly with my children for many years - visiting Keadue long before there was a Festival on family pilgrimages to Lasair’s well and to O’Carolan’s grave. I have watched the Festival grow and the village transform itself, getting better year in and year out and not by accident but by design and by sheer hard work. I take great pride in Keadue’s accomplishment, its faith in itself and its faith in Ireland.
Great thanks is due to the dedicated festival organising committee. Organising a festival is anything but easy and yet these volunteers have given their time and talent willingly and over a long period of time. When they could have been resting or having fun they were planning our entertainment. They have been assisted by the local authorities, by local commercial interests and the most important factor of all, the people of this village. It is quite a formidable partnership and everyone has a role and is entitled to credit for the Festival’s success no matter how big or how small the job. The pleasant reality is that every person in Keadue had a part to play in this success story. They had to knit together, to pool resources, talent and energy, in a selfless drive to work for the good of all the community. The success of that partnership is clear to see. You have in yourselves a valuable resource that is at the heart of your community, it is the source of empowerment and self-confidence and I congratulate you on maintaining and developing the village and on the efforts you have made to make this festival a success.
I hope you all have a wonderful few days in Keadue and that you enjoy the music and the dancing. It gives me great pleasure to officially open the festival.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go leir.