President at the Pontifical Irish College
Rome, 7th February 2013
A Reachtaire, a chara,
Go raibh míle maith agat do na briathra breátha fáilte sin. Is mór an onóir agus an pleisiúr dom cuairt a thabhairt ar Choláiste na nGael agus bualadh leis an bhfoireann agus na hábhair sagairt (scoláirí) san ionad fíor-stairiúil seo, ceann atá lárnach do stair na nGael agus na hÉireann san chathair uasal álainn seo le ceithre chéad bliain.
Rector
Thank you most sincerely for your kind words of welcome. It is an honour and a pleasure to have the opportunity to visit the Irish College and to meet with the staff and students of this most historic of institutions.
As you have outlined, the Irish College has been an important part of the Irish footprint in this city for almost 400 years. It is a testament to the wisdom, endurance and resilience of those who led and formed part of the College community over these centuries that, it has not only survived, but flourished as a centre of formation and a place of learning and development, even during turbulent periods of history.
Today, of course, the College also acts as a place of advice and fellowship for Irish, and indeed many other English speaking, visitors to Rome. It demonstrates the spirit of community and active citizenship that is so essential to an ethical and inclusive society. Any visitor to the College will be struck by the sense of history and the strong connection to Irish culture which is contained within this beautiful building.
That sense of awe is, of course, compounded by the fact that the College is inextricably linked with the Liberator, Daniel O’Connell, whose life and legacy continues to inspire us all. Not only was O’Connell the revered champion of emancipation and political liberty in Ireland, he was a powerful advocate for justice and equality for all oppressed people. He understood that the cause of human rights was universal and transcended all national and ethnic divisions.
As somebody whose life has revolved around books and reference libraries, I was particularly pleased to visit your Library and very impressed by the magnificent collection of antiquarian books and other items housed there – some dating back over 400 years. It is a remarkable and quite beautiful collection and one which the College generously shares with external as well as in-house academics and students.
These papers taken as whole provide a fascinating insight into the life of the Church, historic developments in Ireland, and indeed events in the many far-flung parts of the world in which the alumni of the College made their way. At a time when the wider Irish Diaspora was also greatly increasing in both size and geographic spread, the presence in these migrant communities of so many who had passed through the gates of the College ensured much appreciated pastoral care. The letters home and reports of these pastors also provides historians with a fascinating source of information and insight into the events of that period and of these evolving Irish migrant communities. It is also fascinating to see from these papers the extraordinary global network which was maintained through, and on the basis of, contacts formed in the College. It is a healthy antidote to those who believe that connectivity only arrived with Facebook and Twitter.
The excellent work that has been done recently in cataloguing the College’s archives, which will of course ensure the preservation of the important volumes and documents contained in the library, is to be highly commended, as is the availability of much of this material on-line – facilitating wider access to a unique and historical collection.
There can be no doubt that the positive image of Ireland in many parts of the developing world is greatly helped by the legacy left by Irish missionaries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. During my recent visit to Chile, I visited a parish in a disadvantaged suburb of Santiago where a number of Irish priests were living the vision of the church of the poor. I felt very proud of them and of the heroic and selfless work they are doing in building a sense of community in very difficult circumstances.
In modern times, but fully in keeping with its historic role, the College continues to serve as a valuable focal point for the Irish in Rome. It is, of course, widely respected as a place of spiritual retreat and a venue for scholarly exchanges. But it is also so much more than that to the many people who have found here a welcome, a helping hand in times of difficulty, and a kindness and generosity which has quietly touched so many lives, enriching the Irish community here in Rome. It is a support and kindness that I know is greatly appreciated by the Irish Embassy, and the Irish Diaspora generally and I thank you for that.
I also thank you all for the warmth of your welcome here today. I look forward to having the chance to meet with many of you. I appreciate that some are currently facing examinations. But as the Rector assures me that all of you have worked extremely hard over the past semester, I am sure there is no basis for concern. To those who have taken or are about to take exams I say “good luck”. To all of you I offer heartfelt appreciation for your kind reception.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.