REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2009 LIMERICK PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARDS
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2009 LIMERICK PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARDS CLARION HOTEL, LIMERICK
Dia dhíbh a chairde, tá an-áthas orm bheith i bhur measc inniú. I would particularly like to thank Kay McGuinness for her kind invitation to join you here today. This afternoon’s celebration is about highlighting the very best of Limerick and the very best of Limerick is, of course, its people. They are the ones who create and sustain Limerick's vitality, its community spirit, its capacity to transcend life's ups and downs and its many achievements in the sporting, cultural, academic, educational, social and charitable fields.
The people nominated for this year’s award are people who are do-ers, who focus on realising their full potential and then giving their very best in service to something they are passionate about, whether that is the playing pitch, or the community sector, the theatre or the classroom. They are each a source of pride, inspiration and confidence to their local communities and they make an immense contribution to the civic spirit of Limerick city and county. They are people who tackle challenges head-on, people who are leaders, who inspire others and who make Limerick a better place to work or study or live. Their lives create the warp and weft of community, making it strong, resilient ambitious and achieving. They make us proud and it is right that we should tell them, as we do today through these awards.
What a year 2009 was for Limerick, a year that really needed champions and people of courage. Like the rest of the country, Limerick was left shocked and angered by the horrific child abuse reported in the Ryan and Murphy Reports. These Reports, that were made possible by the courage and strength of survivors of this abuse in speaking out and insisting that their voices be heard; among them is Tom Wall who is one of today’s nominees.
The courage and determination of those involved in opposing gangland violence in Limerick was a turning point for the city. The rally in memory of Roy Collins and all the other victims of gang violence in May last year, articulated the potent and poignant desire of the people of Limerick to end the fear, conflict and heartbreak and attracted national attention and support. Linked to this desire for change, the regeneration projects underway in Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston all show real, concrete progress, making a huge positive difference to the quality of the lived lives of people there, and I wish all those involved in regeneration continued success in the future.
The economic crisis had a very particular impact on Limerick, with the announcement of the loss of almost 2,000 jobs at Dell. This was one of the biggest and high-profile job losses ever in Ireland and you all know only too well the harsh impact this has. I send my best wishes to those who are trying to restore opportunity especially the members of the Mid-West Task Force who are developing a plan to address the socio-economic implications of the economic downturn in Limerick and the surrounding region.
And as if all this wasn’t challenge enough for one year, the city and county were among those areas badly hit by the November flooding and I take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the massive efforts there to limit damage, and in the ongoing recovery and repair efforts. In the midst of this adversity, the people of Limerick showed an extraordinary outpouring of generosity and community spirit that will long remain in memory as a noble response to this unprecedented challenge. All in all, it was a massive mobilisation of the very best of civic society and a manifestation of the very best of community spirit.
As ever, Limerick athletes did themselves and their county proud in the world of sport – the rubgy pitch and the horse-racing track are two arenas where they particularly shone this year. And Limerick’s vibrant cultural life continued to flourish, as can be seen from the musicians and singers among today’s nominees, whose talents not only bring delight to their audiences but who are also active in giving back to their own community. And then there are the moving, uplifting nominees whose personal stories tell of bravery, charity and generosity. Our two youngest nominees, Amy and Nastasia, both just eleven years old, show clearly that youth is no obstacle when it comes to making an impact on a community.
The extraordinary diversity of this year’s nominees is precisely what makes Limerick such a dynamic part of the world. It is impossible to summarise all your individual achievements in one short speech. You each act in such different fields but you have some things in common. You do what you do not for recognition or public laurels, but to meet your own personal goals, to use your lives well, so that as role models and leaders, you can invest in strong resilient communities, families and workplaces. Despite the personal modesty of the nominees, I am delighted that today we are coming together formally to celebrate their achievements in 2009. I hope that their nominations and these awards will encourage them to continue to inspire others as they make their own contribution to Limerick’s uniqueness. I congratulate everyone who worked so hard to make this occasion such a success– the organisers, the sponsors, judges, supporters and of course the nominees themselves. I don’t envy the judges their difficult task in selecting a winner from this year’s twelve nominees. Each one is already a winner, each of their stories are challenging, thought-provoking, inspiring. My congratulations to all you; you have done this county proud. May you have a most enjoyable afternoon and may 2010 be a year of hope and promise for Limerick and all its people.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.