Remarks by President Michael D. Higgins at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
Derry, 11th August 2013
Deputy First Minister
Mayor Reilly
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Tá an-áthas orm bheith anseo inniu ag an seasca dóú Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann: ar ceiliúradh é ar mór mo mhórtas a bheith i mo Phatrún air. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le Coisde Fhleadh Dhoire as ucht cuireadh a thabhairt dom bheith in bhur dteannta, agus gabhaim buíochas libh uilig as an bhfáilte mhór a chuir sibh romham.
[I am delighted to be here today at the 62nd Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a celebration of which I am very proud to be patron. I would like to thank the Derry Fleadh Committee for inviting me to join you and for that great welcome.]
Is ócáid lárnach í an Fhleádh sa bhliain chultúrta in Éirinn. Is ócáid í, arb é an toradh é, ar mhórchuid gníomhaíochta san iliomad pobal ar fud na tíre i gcaitheamh na bliana; agus is ócaid í a ligeann scód dúinn togha an cheoil, togha na hamhránaíochta agus togha an damhsa a cheiliúradh ina n-éagsúlacht ollchineálach.
[The Fleadh Cheoil is a key moment in the Irish cultural calendar. It is an event which marks the culmination of much activity in communities across the country throughout the year; and an occasion which allows us to celebrate the very best of Irish music, song and dance in all their diversity. ]
Le linn na seachtaine, rachaidh ceoltóirí, amhránaithe agus rinceoirí traidisiúnta na hÉireann ó chuile cheard den domhan san iomaíocht ag an leibhéal is airde ina gcuid ealaíona. Tá breis is deich míle iomaitheoirí tagtha chun cinn ó na Fleadhanna cáilithe náisiúnta timpeall an domhain – a raibh níos mó ná fiche cúig mhíle rannpháirtithe ag glacadh páirt iontu. Ní féidir a shéanadh an chumhacht atá ag an bhFleádh chun a chur i gcuimhne dúinn an chaoi a ndéanann an ceol, an amhránaíocht agus an damhsaíocht seo ’gainne sinn a nascadh le chéile mar phobal, tríd an oidhreacht agus an cultúr atá againn i gcomhpháirt, le Diaspora mór a thug an oidhreacht sin go codanna eile den domhan agus a léirigh an cultúr sin ar ais chugainn i bhfoirmeacha nua spreagúla.
[During the next week, Irish traditional musicians, singers and dancers from all over the world will compete at the highest level in their art forms. Over ten thousand competitors have emerged from the nationwide and worldwide qualifying Fleadhanna - involving over twenty five thousand participants. There can be no doubt of the power of the Fleadh in reminding us of how our music, song and dance binds us as a people with a shared heritage and culture, connects us to a large Diaspora who have brought that heritage to many other parts of the globe and who have, in turn, reflected that culture back to us in new, fresh and exciting variations.]
The Fleadh is always a significant occasion and one that truly demonstrates how culture is based on all that we share together. This year’s Fleadh has, of course, a special historical significance as it marks the strengthening of ties across a land boundary that was, for so many years, synonymous with distrust and differing historical perspectives that divided communities, families and societies for many years.
Derry-Londonderry has borne more than its fair share of the burden of a divisive past. In recent years it has transcended this past by rebuilding, renewing and re-imagining the Maiden City. It has risen to the challenge of freeing itself from the burden of a divisive history and – has done so – by working to create a new and vibrant society; a society that engages with the past through a pluralism of narratives and that looks to the future with hope and confidence, with a proud sense of identity that generously includes all the cultural traditions that share this wonderful city. Culture provides a platform on which we seek to construct and perhaps even deconstruct the various concepts of identity.
It offers the prospect of a safe space to reflect on, explore, probe and perhaps even challenge our received notions of historical experience, community affiliation and national identity. Culture then can provide a framework to enrich the overall combination and cohesion of narratives by allowing different – and differing – experiences and perspectives to respectfully cohabit, and even learn from and enrich, each other.
We are, of course, a people who have repeatedly mined the past to meet the demands of the present; we are a people who have the imagination and the creativity to draw on memory in a way that avoids sentimentality and pragmatically meets our contemporary needs without losing our ethical obligation to remember with open minds and such a pluralism as will, when necessary or appropriate facilitate forgiveness; and we are a people who in exile abroad have skilfully used our past to be modernisers and reformers in our adopted homelands.
In Éirinn sa lá atá inniu ann, táimid ag tabhairt aghaidh ar dheich mbliana comórtha. Tugann sé deis dúinn macnamh a dhéanamh ar ár gcuid staire agus is tráth é le smaoineamh ar a thábhacht atá sé an iliomad eispéireas arb éard iad an stair sin agus a d’fhág an Éire is linne le cheile inniu. Rinne Brian Friel, scriobhnóir atá ceangailte go dlúth leis an gcathair seo, an méid seo a scríobh sa dráma iontach sin aige Translations:
Ní hí an stair litriúil, ‘fírici’ na staire, a théann i bhfeidhm orainn, ach íomhánna ón stair i gcló teanga.”
[Today, in Ireland, we are engaging in a decade of commemoration. It is an opportunity to reflect on our past and also a time to consider the importance of exploring the many interconnected experiences which form that past and which have shaped the Ireland we share today. A writer closely associated with this city, Brian Friel, wrote the following words in his wonderful play Translations:
“it is not the literal past, the 'facts' of history, that shape us, but images of the past embodied in language.”]
A truly over honest and ethical exploration of our shared and contentious past should bring us to a truth beyond any simplistic assertion of the rightness of one side or the other; a truth which acknowledges the validity and legitimacy of the differing voices which comprise our national story; and of the right of the individual perspective to see the world in its own way and tell its story accordingly. Such a truth may not be as neat or as simple as we might ideally anticipate; it may even be confusing. However, as Brian Friel also wrote in “Translations” – “confusion is not an ignoble condition”.
A decade of commemoration, respectfully and generously celebrated, has the potential to help us recognise that, if we are to craft a shared future with shared hopes and a common purpose, we must listen to all of the individual voices that make up our society, north and south of the border. We must gain an understanding of the differing experiences, viewpoints, and narratives of our fellow citizens as we seek to create a shared sense of citizenship that is open and inclusive; and as we work for a shared Island of flourishing communities, each proud of their discrete identities but working together in a spirit of hope, reconciliation and commitment to the fruits of a shared peaceful future.
This week at the Fleadh we celebrate the unifying power of a shared and diverse culture. We come together in a public space to affirm and enjoy the talent and creativity of thousands of artists and performers; and we do so in a way that is socially inclusive and rejects any notion of these cultural performances being exclusive or elitist.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2013 is a celebration – not just of the rich culture and heritage we have inherited from previous generations – but also of our values of shared humanity and social solidarity, values that provide a solid foundation for building a flourishing society across this island.
This is my fourth visit to Derry-Londonderry since becoming President of Ireland. It is a particular pleasure to be here during what is a very special year for the city. To be designated the City of Culture for 2013 is a great honour indeed but also richly merited. Derry’s status as the City of Culture has given its people an opportunity to show the world what you already knew but were too modest to say – that this is an exciting city, proud of its history but also driven by vibrant communities who are determined to create a positive future for themselves.
Is mór agam go bfhuil beirthe ar an deis seo le fonn is le fuinneamh ag muintir Dhoire Cholm Cille – Doire Londain, a spreagfaidh gan dabht a gcuid tallann, a gcuid cruthaitheachta agus a gcuid físeanna an iliomad pobal eile ar fud Inis Fódhla. An bhliain seo chugainn is í Luimneach a iomprós an baton mar Chathair an Chultúir agus tá a fhios agam go mbeidh a ceannairí pobail ag foghlaim go cíocrach ó rathúlacht a ndearnadh in nDoire.
[I am delighted that this opportunity has been seized with great enthusiasm and energy by the citizens of Derry-Londonderry whose talent, creativity and vision will no doubt inspire many other communities across the island of Ireland. Next year, Limerick will carry the baton of being the City of Culture in the South and I know its community leaders will be most anxious to learn from Derry’s experience of success.]
This year is also, of course, a particularly important one for the Irish Diaspora as the Gathering 2013 reaches out to our many friends, family and connections overseas, inviting them to join us in a year-long celebration of all that is great about their home country. Amongst the many musicians who will visit Derry during the Fleadh are the descendants of Irish emigrants abroad who now number among the virtuosos of the traditional music community. The music, song, dance and Irish language which was such a cohesive force amongst Irish communities abroad in the past continues to strengthen them today, while increasingly enriching the well of tradition in Ireland itself. We owe much to such events as the Willie Clancy School, and so much to the iconic figures such as Michael Colman and P.J. Conlon and onto our contemporary Martin Hayes.
In conclusion, I would like to thank and congratulate all those who are involved with Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2013; an occasion which has, over the years developed from a two-day – primarily musical – event to an eight-day festival with a hugely diverse range of cultural activities and amenities attracting some 300,000 visitors from Ireland and abroad to share in this great celebration of Irish heritage.
Your programme of performances, exhibitions and workshops is a truly impressive one which reflects the imagination, dedication and hard work which has been invested in the planning of this event. Over the coming days we will see an inspiring blend of the culture that has shaped us in both its traditional and its re-imagined forms, with older genres of entertainment connecting with freshly inspired evolutions.
Ina chroí istigh, séard atá i bhFleádh Dhoire, Fleádh buíochais, dearbhú ar shaibhreas agus uathúlacht an tsaoil phobail ar fud na hÉireann. Cothaíonn an saol pobail seo ár gcuid traidisiún agus spreagann sé cruthaitheacht na nGael, sa duine aonair agus sa phobal, i nDiaspora na nGael, agus ina measc siúd a bhraitheann gur Gaeil iad. Is ceiliúradh inspioráideach ar an gcultúr agus ar an oidhreacht sin is croílar an Ghaelachais – Gaelachas ar mian a chuid traidisiúin éagsúla uilig a thabhairt leis agus Gaelachas atá oscailte, cuimsitheach, agus a dhéanann freastal ar gach gné den saol.
[Fleadh Dhoire is at its core a Fleadh of appreciation, an affirmation of the richness and uniqueness of community life throughout Ireland. This community life nurtures our traditions and inspires the creativity of the Irish as individuals and as a community, amongst the Irish Diaspora and all those who consider themselves Irish. It is an inspiring celebration of the culture and heritage which lies at the heart of Irishness – an Irishness that seeks to embrace all its diverse traditions and that is open, inclusive and accommodating.]
Míle buíochas arís agus go n-eirí go geal libh ins na blianta ata romhainn.