REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY MCALEESE, AT THE CITY HALL OF ÉVORA, PORTUGAL
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY MCALEESE, AT THE CITY HALL OF ÉVORA, PORTUGAL, ON WEDNESDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2002
Senhor Presidente,
ESTAR ENTRE VÓS, NESTA MARAVILHOSA CIDADE DE ÉVORA CONSTITUI UM PONTO ALTO DESTA MINHA VISITA A PORTUGAL!
I thank you for your warm words of welcome. It is a great pleasure for me to be here in such an illustrious city. History and culture flow through Évora and the city is fully deserving of the recognition accorded by UNESCO in 1986 in declaring Évora a world heritage site. I am also honoured to be received by you and members of the Câmara in this most impressive City Hall.
Coming to a city such as Évora is like making a pilgrimage into the past. The Celts, the Romans, the Visigoths and the Moors have all been here and the city has also been a popular residence of Portuguese kings. They have all left their influence in the great mosaic that is this city’s heritage.
Your beautiful Roman temple testifies to the presence of the Romans who made the Alentejo region their granary and who named the principal town of the region Ebora Cerealis. The Moorish arcades remind us of later residents as does the magnificent cathedral. On arriving in the city, I already had a glimpse of the fortifications and the sixteenth century aqueduct, which was a wonder in its time and which inspired so many of your writers including your wonderful poet Camões.
The pilgrimage to which I refer also has an Irish flavour born of our troubled history. When thousands had to flee Ireland in difficult times, many came to Portugal to receive their education. The Irish College in Lisbon came from this historic link and many of the students went to Évora to pursue postgraduate studies at the University here, which I hope to visit shortly. The University also had Irish teachers. We know that the Irish Jesuit, Father Cornélio de São Patrício was Professor of Theology and that Father Hugh Colan held the chair of Mathematics.
It is good to see these historic links being preserved today and to learn that there are a number of Irish students here. I am delighted that Pat O’Connell, who has already published a book on the Irish College in Lisbon has now begun research on the students of the college who studied in Évora. I know that she is at the beginnings of her research but it is, nevertheless, a particular pleasure that she has come to Évora today to show us some of what she has already found in the records at the Biblioteca Municipal.
I very much applaud this research into the old links with Évora. They reflect in a small way the varied strands which linked Ireland and Portugal in past centuries.
I am happy that the links are being renewed in modern times and I was delighted to learn of a small but significant new Irish/Portuguese business venture not far from here.
At Estremoz, a new link is being created by an Irishman, Seán O’Riain. He has taken over a small tile making enterprise and, thereby preserved skills which would otherwise be lost. This initiative combines Irish enthusiasm and the artistic skills of the craftsmen of this region. I hope it will lead to many more such ventures and I am pleased to see Seán and his wife here today.
It is good to come to a place as a stranger and to find so many old bonds and new friendships already waiting like a welcome. My visit today to the capital of Alentejo has given me many happy memories to bring home and to reflect on. I thank you, Mayor, and the municipality for making it possible and, through you, the people of Évora for their lovely warm, welcome.