Remarks by President McAleese at the President’s Awards Dinner Friday, 11 May, 2001
Remarks by President McAleese at the President’s Awards Dinner Friday, 11 May, 2001 Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge
Is cúis mór áthais bheith anseo i bhur measc agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl daoibh as an chaoin-chuireadh. There are some aspects of the work of being President of Ireland which bring a special joy and being Patron of this marvellous organisation is one of them. Tonight gives me a chance to say how proud I am of the work it does, of its stunning pace of development and in particular the very significant advances made in Northern Ireland this year with the help and support of our friends in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and in the International Awards Association. I would like to extend a special welcome to the Honourable Ronald Arculli , who has travelled from Hong Kong to be with us. Please accept my very best wishes in your new role as Chairman of the International Awards Association. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous contribution to the Awards of your pre-decessor The Duke of Edinburgh and indeed his crucial personal contribution to the extension of the President’s Awards throughout the island.
One of John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s old posters says- “One person can make a difference. Every person should try.” It’s a view which goes deep to the heart of The President’s Award committed as it is to the empowerment of the individual, to challenging our young people to test themselves rigorously, to grow in self- knowledge and self-confidence, to mature into good citizens. This investment in the individual is made because we believe that when the individual tries to make a real difference in his or her own life, the new found wisdom and skill and insight gathered is a gift not just to the young man or young woman but to the community and to the country. This organisation is about making a strong country out of strong individuals. It is about harvesting this island’s greatest natural resource, the genius, the character, the resilience, the goodness, the power of its people. And we gather tonight to celebrate the awardees who commit to making a difference and the huge partnership of endeavour which creates and sustains this great opportunity which is The President’s Award- Gaisce. It takes a huge team to put this show on the road, to keep it on the road and to take it downs new paths. A remarkable amount of that team effort is voluntary . No law forces anyone to become a member of the guiding Council, or a leader, or A charter member, a friend, a patron, a shield member. Yet people of the highest calibre, people with a thousand other important things to be doing, commit as you do, to this award out of faith and hope in our young people. A very effective core professional team drives the organisation from their home in Dublin Castle and when you add in the contribution of Government through the Department of Education and Science, the Ireland Funds, the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation , the Combat Poverty Agency, and the many industries and organisations who encourage staff involvment you begin to get a picture of a complex jigsaw puzzle every bit of which matters , every bit of which is an essential component of the President’s Awards. It is a remarkable thing too that no one does any of this for thanks or for selfish rewards though you are all entitled to the warmest of thanks. Maybe the best thankyou gift is one which fell into my lap quite by accident recently when I was talking to an employer and asking what he looked for when he trawled through C.V.s from young people. Out of the blue he said, if I see the words President’s Award I put that one to the top of the pile for interview. When I asked him why he answered with that old Irish saying Tus maith, is leath na hoibre.
I cannot think of any better accolade than to see the work of this organisation as facilitating not just a good start in life but the best possible start.
Recently I was listening to the radio and I heard Ellen MacArthur talking about her thoughts on, at the age of 24, becoming the youngest woman to sail around the world. To most of us the notion of setting off on such a daunting and challenging journey is mind-boggling. And I am quite sure when she first explored the possibility of realising her dream she would have faced much opposition and cynicism. Luckily she was encouraged and supported by people who were willing to re-affirm her feelings of self-belief. She talked about her fears, her doubts because after all, to use her own words – “she was an ordinary person”. And against the odds she achieved her dream.
Ellen’s story lies at the very core of the ethos of these awards. All too often it is our own doubts about our ability that confine us. When we take our courage in our hands we can be truly astonished by how much we innately know, how much we can learn and how much we can achieve. The philosopher, Joseph Campbell makes the point in his book ‘The Power of Myth’ ‘I’ve always felt uncomfortable’, he says, ‘when people speak of ordinary mortals because I have never met an ordinary man, woman or child. Everybody has his own possibility of rapture in the experience of life. All he has to do is recognise it, cultivate it, and get going with it.’
The response of young people to Gaisce - The President's Award illustrates not only the great wealth of ingenuity and talent which they have to offer, but, more importantly, their tremendous willingness to explore and expand their abilities in a positive and constructive way.
The true reward is tapping into that wealth of talent to unleash the power that lies within. This is where your role as Donors is invaluable. Your support ensures that we have created an Award which can reach out to as many young people as possible These awards simply would not take place without your help, without it hundreds of young people would miss out on the opportunity of reaching their full potential and our country would never know its own fullest potential.
You are entitled to take great pride in being an integral part of this investment which generates the human equity with which we will build a healthier , happier more inclusive future.
I commend all concerned with Gaisce. We have been blessed in the leadership given by Mary White and her Council, by John Murphy and his amazing team, by the many supporters, leaders and participants and of course you the Donors. Thank you all for caring enough about our young people to make a difference in their lives. I wish you every success in your future endeavours.
My thanks also to John Murphy for arranging this evening and to John Brennan, General Manager and the staff here at the Four Seasons for providing this beautiful setting.
Go n-éiri go geal libh. Go raibh maith agat.