Remarks during visit to Our Lady of the Wayside National School
6th March 2013
A Dhaoine Uaisle agus a bhuachaillí agus a chailíní,
Is cúis mhór áthais dom bheith i bhur dteannta inniu.
Tá an-áthas orm a bheith anseo inniu agus ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an bpríomhoide, Anne McCluskey, leis an gCathaoirleach Mary Upton, leis an bhfoireann, leis an mBord Bainistíochta, leis na tuismitheoirí agus go háirithe libhse, a dhaltaí, as an bhfáilte chroíúil sin.
[ I am very pleased to be here today and I would like to thank your Principal, Anne McCluskey, Chairperson Mary Upton, the staff, the Board of Management, parents and, most of all, you the pupils for that warm welcome.]
The stated mission of Our Lady of the Wayside is to ‘Create a safe, positive, child centred educational environment in which diversity is recognised and individual needs are catered for.’ It is a statement that truly sums up the values of this school and the ethos which makes it such a special place.
Here, in Our Lady of the Wayside, a pupil is not simply appreciated for how well they do at their lessons or how highly they score in exams but also for the effort they put in; how kind and considerate they are to each other and indeed, by how much use they make of all the individual talents they have been given.
The pupils here are very lucky to attend a school such as this; one which truly understands and acknowledges the importance of each and every child, the contribution they can make, and the potential they can realise. You are fortunate that here in this school you are encouraged to work to be the very best you can be and to use your talents and skills not only for the benefit of the school now, but later on in life I am sure, for the benefit of the community and society.
This is, of course, a very special week for the school; a week when you celebrate artistic talent, intrinsic creativity and the unique view we all have of the world and of the space we occupy within it. This week Our Lady of the Wayside holds its annual art exhibition and I am especially pleased to have been invited here today to open this event.
Some people when they think of art, not unreasonably think of something that is nice to look at, something that may be ornamental or which will brighten up a room. In the past the public were often encouraged to think of art as something that is a bit separate from our normal life, an enjoyable hobby, a relaxing pursuit, but an activity that is not as important as maths or Irish or history or the other subjects we study in the classroom. That now, thankfully, is of the past. Now it is accepted that exploring and developing our ability to think creatively is a very important part of our education indeed.
When we paint a picture as part of a group or a class we discover how everyone has their own unique and individual way of looking at things. I am sure you have noticed, in your art classes, how sometimes a group of you can paint the exact same scene – the same bunch of flowers maybe, or the same building, or the same view from a window, but everyone’s painting will look that little bit different; and some people’s paintings will, indeed, look very, very different from anyone else’s.
Because art isn’t like maths or Irish or spellings, where there may be a right and wrong answer to every question. When we learn about art we learn that there is often no right or wrong way of looking at something or of completing a task. Sometimes there are just different ways of seeing things or understanding things or interpreting the situations, the challenges and suggestions of what or problems we view around us. Art also reminds us that there are many ways of working together, of sharing, of doing the best we can. It reminds us of the importance of being open to other people’s point of view and of accepting that, just because someone seems or appears different from us, that this does not mean they are better or worse perhaps, than us, or that their view or their voice is of more or less importance than ours. Art, in fact, teaches us how we can work together and enjoy all the things that we share in common while also celebrating the diversity amongst us; the things that make each other different, distinctive and unique.
I know that Our Lady of the Wayside attaches a lot of importance to allowing its pupils to explore their creativity and to express themselves in new and original ways. In fact, the school has participated in the Creativity in the Classroom project for the past six years; an initiative which uses art to encourage children to develop their sense of self.
I have no doubt that the pupils here have benefitted in many ways from their engagement with this initiative – realising the possibility of creating and succeeding in new and unexpected ways; the satisfaction that comes from persevering with a piece of work and seeing it through to the end; the fun of sharing their creativity with others and discovering the different ways in which they approach a similar task or project; and the importance of helping each other out and of praising each other’s work.
Today is an important occasion for all those who have contributed to this project and who have worked hard to make the school’s arts programme a happy and beneficial experience for all involved – for the children and for their teachers and families. The fruits of all that hard work are very evident in the wonderful array of paintings, drawings, sketching, ceramics and models that make up this exhibition; an exhibition which is a true celebration of your talent, your creativity, and your own unique view of the world and I congratulate each and every one of you.
Visiting you all here today has been a very enjoyable and uplifting experience. Our Lady of the Wayside is, indeed, a school that is committed to giving every pupil the opportunity they each deserve to fulfil their true potential. I commend the principal, teachers and support staff here for your dedication to your pupils; for your constant willingness to go the extra mile and to give that little bit more in order to fully nurture and support all of the children in your care.
Before I finish, I want to also congratulate all the boys and girls here for making such a special effort today to welcome me to the school and for being so attentive during my remarks.
Guím gach rath agus sonas oraibh agus tá súil agam go mbeidh gach deis agaibh amach anseo agus go mbainfidh sibh leas as bhur n-acmhainní, bhur mbuanna agus bhur scileanna ar leith, ar mhaithe le bhur gclanna, leis an bpobal agus leis an tsochaí.
[ I wish you all a happy, successful future, full of opportunity and I hope that you will always strive to use your personal potential, talents and skills for the benefit of your families, your communities and your society.]
Go n-éirí go geal libh ‘s go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.