REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE RECEPTION FOR THE IRISH COMMUNITY LOS ANGELES
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE RECEPTION FOR THE IRISH COMMUNITY LOS ANGELES, THURSDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER, 1999
A chairde,
Ó tháinig mise i m’Uachtarán is minic mé ag caint ar an chaoi a gcuireann teaghlach domhanda na nGael leis an mhórtas cine, leis an mhisneach agus leis an féin-iomrá dearfach atá anois de dhlúth agus d’inneach na nGael sa bhaile. Is mór liom an seans a bheith agam ag ócáid mar seo casadh ar na daoine a lean casán na himirce go Deisceart California, daoine a chuir go mór leis an áit ina bhfuil siad ach nach ndéarna dearmad riamh ar an áit as an tháinig siad.
Distinguished guests,
Since I began my Presidency one of the themes I have highlighted is the way in which Ireland’s global family has contributed to the increasing sense of pride, confidence and achievement that is a hallmark of the new Ireland. I greatly appreciate an occasion like tonight when I can meet with Irish people from all walks of life who have followed the emigrant path to Southern California, have contributed so much to your adopted place, and yet have retained strong ties to Ireland. As Ireland looks forward with confidence to the new Millennium, it is wonderful to join with the Irish abroad to celebrate the achievements of the new Ireland and to thank the Irish abroad for their ongoing friendship and support.
The emigrant path is rarely an easy one, yet it must be said that those of you who followed the sun and your California Dreams here are the envy of many of your cousins in the extended global family. Los Angeles is not the first or last city that can be described as more of a state of mind than a place. I have no doubt that the creative talent of the Irish, our sense of fun and enjoyment, has played its part in the formation of that state of mind that is LA.
For many around the world, when we think of LA we think of Hollywood the great home of story telling! In this age of entertainment, of communications and technology, it is increasingly important that all peoples can represent themselves and tell their own stories. The growth of the Irish film industry and the increasing number of Irish and Irish-American actors, writers and directors who have achieved success in Hollywood are a source of pride to us all.
These are exciting times for the Irish at home, as we experience the buzz and excitement of a renaissance in the economic, political and cultural life of Ireland. Our young people can at last find in Ireland the sense of opportunity and of possibilities, that many here tonight had to go abroad to seek. The resulting growth in confidence and sense of achievement in the new Ireland, that is evident for all to see, is remarkable.
We are finding that the value that Ireland has always placed on education and culture, have made us an ideal country for the information based economy of the 21st century. The phenomenal economic transformation that is in progress, is paralleled by an explosion of creative talent - in addition to the growing Irish film industry, Irish writers, artists, musicians, dancers, are reaching audiences around the world to an unprecedented scale.
These developments alone would make Ireland an exciting and hopeful place to be, but we are most blessed to be enjoying them at a time when we also have the greatest opportunity that we have ever known to bring about a just and lasting peace.
The Good Friday Agreement undoubtedly marks an historic breakthrough in the history of our country, holding out, as it does, the prospect of a future where the people of Ireland can overcome the tragic divisions of our past and dedicate ourselves to building a future together based on partnership, equality, reconciliation and tolerance. It was a remarkable achievement and, rightly, it brought with it great joy and hope.
And while considerable progress has been made in many areas, securing its full implementation was always going to be a slow and difficult task. Inevitably, perhaps, there have been difficulties and disappointments along the way. We have not yet reached a position where the political parties in Northern Ireland have sufficient trust and confidence in each other to see the institutions provided for under the Agreement come into being.
I am, however, neither despairing nor despondent. I remain fully convinced that the people of Ireland want the Agreement to succeed. They have overwhelmingly endorsed all that it has to offer them and, most of all, they recognise that the compromise and accommodation it entails are necessary if we are to see the new society we all dream of come into being.
As we meet, our politicians are working very hard to reach agreement on a way in which all can take the Agreement forward together. In their endeavours they are most fortunate to have the skill, wisdom and judgement of Senator George Mitchell to assist them once again. I know that you will join me in wishing them every success.
Through all of the ups and downs of the peace process we have greatly appreciated the enormous support, encouragement and love which we have received from all the friends of Ireland here in the United States. From President Bill Clinton, who could not have done more to help, to Senator Mitchell, without whom the Agreement would not have been reached, to the extended Irish family here who have helped in ways too numerous to mention - your continued commitment to the cause of peace and justice in Ireland has, and will continue to sustain us in our difficult journey. On behalf of the people of Ireland, I would like to express our deep thanks and appreciation. We look forward to a day soon, when freed from the wasteful, appalling distraction of violent conflict we can harness all our energies to dealing effectively and generously with the every day hurts and harms which are so often eclipsed by the big issues: the unbearably hard lives of those who care for the chronically sick or the handicapped; the plight of those who are illiterate in this literate world, the poor, the marginalised. There is plenty for this new blessed generation in Ireland to come to grips with and crucially this generation has the tools, wisdom and affluence to ensure that all our people are given the chance to be part of the mainstream.
Ladies and Gentleman,
One of the wonders of life today is the way in which information technology and communications have made the world a smaller place. Many of you here can keep in touch with the
news from Ireland and with family and friends via e-mail and World Wide Web on a daily or even hourly basis. The cost of air travel has dropped considerably over the years, and now that Aer Lingus have a direct service to Los Angeles, it has never been easier to visit and stay in touch. I know that many of you are frequent visitors to Ireland, and I would encourage you all to come and experience at first hand, and to celebrate with us, the sense of excitement, the buzz and confidence of Ireland on the threshold of the new millennium.
Is beag an áit é an domham seo sa lá atá inniu ann. Coinníonn cuid agaibh teagmháil le tír na hÉireann go laethúil nó fiú níos minicí ná sin, ar an ríomh-phost nó ar an idir-ghréasán. Tá costas aer-thaistil níos saoire ná mar a bhí riamh agus anois go bhfuil eitilt dhíreach ann idir Baile Átha Cliath agus Los Angeles tá sé níos fusa agus níos áisiúla ná mar a bhí riamh cuairt a thabhairt ar an tsean-fhód. Tá a fhios agam go dtagann cuid mhór agaibh go hÉireann go rialta, ach molaim daoibh go léir teacht agus beocht úr na hÉireann a bhlaiseadh daoibh féin; sceideal agus scleondar agus spreagthacht na tíre agus muid i mbéal na míleaoise.
Thank you