ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION IN COUNTY HALL
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT A CIVIC RECEPTION IN COUNTY HALL PORTLAOISE ON SATURDAY 4 APRIL, 1998
I’m really delighted to be here in Portlaoise on my first visit in an official capacity, and I’m deeply honoured by the very warm welcome and kindness I have encountered since my arrival in Co. Laois this morning, to see some of the work of the Civil Defence on their National Exercise, “Meitheal ‘98”, which involves a total of 1,000 volunteers in Counties Laois, Cavan, Monaghan and Wexford. I am particularly grateful for the very warm words of welcome from you, Cathoirleach - which indeed, have been echoed by the other members of the County Council today. I’m happy that on this occasion, that I have been invited to be with you today to experience some of the warm hospitality for which County Laois is so famous.
Earlier, I visited Aghaboe Abbey and attended a service for the congregation drawn from the two Christian denominations - and ‘celebrated’ by the Archdeacon Murray from Rathdowney and Fr. Jackie Robinson, the Parish Priest of Aghaboe. I made the point at that service that Aghaboe was a fine example of what can be achieve by a community which draws the different strands together and works on a project of common interest.
County Laois has many links with the past – back to Celtic times – the early Christian church –the era of plantations and great houses – and the Huguenots who settled in Portarlington. Those links can be found in the Abbeys, and great houses – in places like Aghaboe which is associated with St. Fergal - Killeshin where St. Diarmuid founded a monastery in the 6th century – the Rock of Dunamace which was the site of many conflicts and conquests – or the fine house and estate at Emo Court, just recently handed over to the State. Portlaoise itself, has seen much history - with the O’Moore clan having been ousted by the English – who changed its name to Maryborough and the county name to Queen’s County. Huguenot family names are still to be seen in the towns and villages of Laois, and they reflect a French influence which is largely gone.
Another famous visitor from Ulster - Conell Cearnach - the leader of the Red Branch Knights – visited this area many centuries ago – not to be received by the Cathaoirleach and members of Laois County Council – but to wage war against the men of Leinster! Dare I say it, but they won at the battle of Rosnaree and - like many others since then - they took a liking to the area and settled in Leix. Happily, on this occasion, the visitor from Ulster is here – not to wage war – but to enjoy the hospitality and friendship of people of Laois and of the Cathaoirleach and members of the County Council.
Later today, I will be visiting Clonaslee and Ballyfin at the invitation of both communities to open their Community Resource Centres. Following that I will have the pleasure of opening the Mountrath Twinning Festival celebrating its links to Plouhinec in France. So by this evening, I will covered quite an amount of the territory of Laois – an experience which I will remember with fondness – for the warmth of the welcome and hospitality which I have received.