Remarks welcoming Volvo Ocean Race skippers and teams to Galway
The Docks, Galway, 3rd July 2012
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tá an-áthas orm bheith anseo libh inniu ar an ócáid speisialta seo. Thank you very much for that generous welcome. I am delighted to be here today to join you all at the Volvo Ocean Race Festival and would like to thank John Killeen for his kind invitation to address you all here this evening.
On my own behalf and on behalf of all the people of Ireland I wish to extend to the Volvo Ocean Race participants a warm and heartfelt welcome to our country and in particular to the city of Galway in which one of its 14th Century buildings is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, patron Saint of Mariners. Your route here has been an arduous and demanding one, and we are honoured that such courageous and skilled sportspeople are completing this momentous physical and mental challenge in this historic city.
There is a connection between Galway and the ocean that is as old as time itself. That connection includes the departures of discoverers and the arrival of invaders, the benefits of trade and the immense sorrow of famine departures and coffin ships. The Galway dockers have been a part of Galway social and economic history that is unforgettable.
I join in the welcome to the families of the competing crews who have travelled here to Galway to be re-united with their loved ones. You have your own stories to tell, including of the additional burden you have borne since the commencement of the Race last November in Alicante. Hopefully today will have made it seem all worthwhile for everyone.
Today we are celebrating the culmination of a particular kind of journey in modern times, a journey that has taken the race participants through four oceans and five continents. It is a journey of challenges, strenuous demands, difficult and worrying moments and times, I am sure, when crews were tested to the limit and maybe even for a moment felt like giving up. However, you did not give up; you kept on pushing yourselves and kept on going until that end line was in sight. And for that, I congratulate and commend you all.
Tá áthas an domhain orm bheith anseo inniu ní amháin chun an méid atá bainte amach agaibh a cheiliúradh ach i ngeall ar na hullmhúcháin do theacht na mbád mhóra tá na mílte daoine tagtha anseo le spéis comónta i gcúrsaí mara. Déanann muid ceiliúradh ar éacht mhór na hócáide seo agus ar an gcomhoibriú a bhí ann chun an togra seo a chur i gcrích go rathúil.
[I am delighted to say that today we celebrate, not just a goal achieved or a task completed on your behalf, but through the preparations for your arrival, a marvellous coming together of people; people with a mutual interest in the sea, its challenges and possibilities and a shared purpose. We celebrate that achievement, that spirit of co-operation, the collective will that produced such a dynamic interaction between the members of a group who worked to reach a common objective, the fruits of which we now begin to celebrate.]
In short, today we are celebrating teamwork at its very best. Because, in order to complete today’s race participants all had to work as part of a crew and had to fully understand just what being a good team player involves. You were required to be active participants prepared to fully utilise your own skills and talents while recognising and respecting the individual contributions of the other members of your crew; you had to be generous enough to offer support when another member needed it, and humble enough to accept assistance when it was in the interests of the group; and at all times you had to understand that, if the crew didn’t work effectively together, not only could failure ensue but disaster could strike.
We can draw lessons from such an experience in other areas of life too, we understand that things are better for us when we journey together, not alone – when we are active participants in our communities and in our society – ensuring that we use our voice and contribute our energies and skills. And it is undeniably the case that to achieve truly inclusive citizenship, every citizen must be given an equal opportunity to participate in that society; to use their talents, play their role and to make a difference.
We are very proud here in Ireland, and of course the people of Galway are particularly pleased to have been chosen to host the conclusion of this, the world’s most prestigious off shore race. We are all proud of the new bonds and links which have been forged between our country and the other ports of call during this Volvo Ocean Race. I know, for instance that last February in Abu Dhabi, an unusual event took place – a race between the Dhows which are traditional to that region, and one of our own Galway Hookers. In fact, I understand that you can look forward to a repeat of this race here in Galway as part of these festivities. This is just one example of the valuable bonds which can be forged between peoples of different cultures based on a shared love or mutual interest.
Here in Ireland it has been part of our experience to change in recent years, from a mono-cultural society to become the diverse, multi-cultural and, as a result, vibrant society we are today. We have learnt the importance of respecting many different religions, traditions and cultures, and welcoming them to sit easily alongside our traditional Irish heritage; of ensuring that our new citizens are allowed to play their part in crafting a common shared future for Ireland and that they are fully represented in our society. It has been an important journey, a journey not without its difficulties and challenges but a journey that has, like the Volvo Ocean Race, been a worthwhile and very rewarding one.
Tuigim gur éacht an-mhór é ócáid mar seo a chur le chéile. Murach fiontraíocht agus dian-iarrachtaí na ndaoine a bhí bainteach leis an tofra seo ní bheadh muid anseo inniu in aon chor. Leag mé béim ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le daoine a bheith ag obair as lámha a chéile níos luaithe agus tá a fhios agam gur oibrigh gach duine ar an bhfoireann go dian chun ócáid an lae inniu a chur i gcrích go sásúil. Gan amhras cuireadh a lán ama ar leataobh chun sábháilteacht na hiomaitheoirí a chinntiú ag an ócáid ard-chaighdéanach seo. Is mór an phribhléid dom dea-thoil saoránaigh na tíre seo a fheiceáil ar an lá seo.
[I know that the organisation of an event like this is a momentous undertaking, requiring enterprise, hard work, and dedication to the achievement of a goal. I spoke earlier about the importance of teamwork and I am very impressed by the wonderful group effort that has gone into making today’s event such a success. I have no doubt that much time has been spent striving tirelessly to do everything possible to ensure the safety of the competitors and to ensure the highest standards on each and every day of the race. It has been great to witness such generous donation of time, talents and skills by so many of our generous citizens.]
I would like to conclude by wishing you all a very enjoyable festival and congratulating, once again, our race participants on their magnificent achievement. It has been a true honour to welcome you all here to Galway. I hope our visitors from overseas enjoy the spectacle of these magnificent boats and the onshore festivities that have been so carefully prepared for your enjoyment.
Thank you very much.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go leir.