REMARKS BY the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, AT THE RIVERDANCE GALA RECEPTION, BEIjING
REMARKS BY the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, AT THE RIVERDANCE GALA RECEPTION, BEIjING, FRIDAY, 10 OCTOBER , 2003
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Tá áthas orm fáilte a chuir romhaimh go léir anocht.
It's a great pleasure to be able to welcome you here tonight and what a spectacular night it has been.
Since we arrived in China we have received a wonderful welcome. It has been an unforgettable few days. And we wanted to offer something very special in return - to thank you for the great warmth of your hospitality, to mark the flourishing friendship between China and Ireland, and also to give a taste of the new heart that beats in Ireland today.
There is no better showcase of Ireland’s contemporary cultural assertiveness and its fresh imagination than Riverdance. Since it burst into our lives nine years ago this hugely successful show has carried the name and image of Ireland around the world, the image of a successful, dynamic nation that has come of age. Riverdance uniquely embodies Ireland’s openness to explore and engage with the culture and stories of other nations and peoples. As a great economic success story it also exemplifies the story of contemporary Ireland’s economic transformation and it makes the point quite formidably that culture and trade are formidable allies - for not only have we brought our biggest ever trade delegation to China but I think we have also brought our biggest ever cultural “thank you”! I am delighted that next year will build significantly on this visit with a Festival of Irish Culture in China, and a Festival of Chinese Culture in Ireland.
Riverdance is the result of the efforts and genius of a formidable team. It is a great pleasure to be able to welcome and to thank its composer Bill Whelan, producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan; all the creative team, the production team and the crew, who have moved heaven and earth to stage the show so brilliantly in this Great Hall; and of course the wonderfully gifted young dancers, singers and musicians who have set this historic auditorium alight this evening. You have made us very proud and given us a night to remember, a night of the happiest shared memories between China and Ireland.
I would like to thank each of you for coming, especially our Chinese hosts, whose hospitality has made this visit a never-to-be-forgotten experience. I know I have enjoyed every moment of this marvellous evening and I hope you have too. Enjoy the rest of it and enjoy each other’s company.
Feichang Ganxie.
Thank you.