REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON HER VISIT TO SCOIL BHRÍDE, BLANCHARDSTOWN
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE ON HER VISIT TO SCOIL BHRÍDE, BLANCHARDSTOWN TO MARK ST. BRIGID’S DAY, 1 FEBRUARY, 2000
Tá mé thar a bheith sásta bheith anseo libh. Tá mé buíoch díbh as an chuireadh a thug sibh dom teacht anseo inniú chun Lá Fhéile Bhríde a chómoradh.
I very much appreciate the invitation and warm welcome from your Principal Ms. Deirdre Kirwan and the Chairman of the Board of Management Mr. Don Kelly.
It’s lovely to get out and meet my ‘neighbours’ here in Blanchardstown on this very special feast day and, as 5th Class reminded us in the poem ‘Cill Aodáin’ by Antaine Ó Reachaire, the first day of Spring.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir for the lovely gifts. I very much enjoyed the beautiful singing from 6th Class.
St Brigid was a very unusual woman for her time: even all the saints were men in the 5th Century. She opened her door to the poor, the sick and the stranger and gave them shelter from the cold and food from her own table. We in the 21st Century can still learn a lot from her story.
I saw from your Christmas Card that you follow St Brigid’s example here by extending a warm welcome to children from all around the world and from many different cultures to your school. I counted twelve different languages represented here. ‘What is learned in childhood is engraved on stone.’ And all of you are learning at first hand the way in which people from different and diverse origins can enrich our country. This positive experience will remain with you for life.
I know that the aim of this school is to promote the development of each and every pupil as an individual and as a confident and contributing member of society. This requires a great deal of hard work, dedication and enthusiasm by your teachers. In years to come your pupils will remember you for what you have done for them and will be very thankful for having you as their teachers. I thank you all for your dedication.
The role of parents, the most important educators, is always vital. I am aware that in Scoil Bhríde, Anne Ó Murchú and her colleagues in the Parents Association play an active and supportive role in conjunction with the Board of Management, to provide the best educational opportunities for their children.
Finally, I would like to thank the children. My main reason for coming here today is to meet you. You can be very proud of your school and of all of your hard work in making it such a wonderful place to come to. I have really enjoyed visiting you all and I hope you have enjoyed having me if only for the fact that I’m told you won’t be getting any homework today.