REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE ST PATRICK’S DAY RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE ST PATRICK’S DAY RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN WEDNESDAY 17TH MARCH 2010
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir agus céad míle fáilte chuig Áras an Uachtaráin. It is my great pleasure to offer céad míle fáilte, the traditional welcome of this house, to each of you who have come to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with us today. We are part of a global party today, a day when Ireland showcases the very best of our culture and heritage, thanks to an army of volunteers who organise marches, lunches, dinners, exhibitions and invite Ireland’s friends and family across the whole world to celebrate with us.
On this great day, as we celebrate Saint Patrick in Áras an Uachtaráin, Abu Dhabi, Butte Montana and Beijing and numerous points in between, we remember our Patron Saint in a special way for beset as we are and our world is by economic crisis, we remember the young slave who was held hostage in a foreign land and who overcame cruel circumstances to leave his imprint on fifteen hundred years. Patrick’s resilience and his forgiveness, his focus on the future and his faith in the Irish are a continuing source of inspiration to us as we tackle today’s tough challenges. But on this day if we can at all we put our worries aside and join the party for fun, friendship and the craic. We are extremely fortunate here today to have some of the very best contemporary exponents of Irish culture, with poets Theo Dorgan and Thomas McCarthy, musicians from the group Caladh Nua, and dancers Nicola Byrne and Alan Fox all contributing to the mood of good company and celebration. I thank them for the entertainment they are providing for us and thank each of you for travelling to the Áras today to be part of Saint Patrick’s Day 2010. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.