I know that one elderly lady wrote to President Mary McAleese after the state visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to say that it felt as if it “was choreographed by angels.’’
I agree with the President that the Queen’s visit helped heal a lot of history’s old wounds and offered us a very optimistic defining moment in reshaping the once fraught relations that existed within and between these islands.
But there was more to the choreography of that historic visit than the work of angels.
The visit would not have taken place had it not been for the years of hard work that the President and her husband Martin dedicated to building bridges with all traditions in Northern Ireland, most notably with the loyalist and unionist communities.
The fact that the President hosted an annual 12th July Garden Party in Aras an Uachtarain during her Presidency is just one example of the success she enjoyed in reaching out to the unionist community.
But President McAleese also recognised community effort all across Ireland. Another key theme of her presidency was including people with disabilities to whom she reached out in many practical ways and through offering her support for the Special Olympics.
She also hosted a series of fora at the Aras to highlight various social issues including youth mental health; suicide; domestic and elder abuse; and the social isolation of older men. The idea for the GAA Social Initiative, which is designed to find new ways of getting our senior citizens out of the house and into a vibrant social life, came from her Aras workshop discussions with older men.
During the fourteen years she has been in office, President McAleese has always been a reassuring voice at times of despair and sorrow. She had the extraordinary ability to empathise with people in difficulty, while always offering hope. She has constantly reminded us of the many exceptional people who accomplish extraordinary things in the service of their neighbours.
I personally have had the privilege of her warm welcome in Aras an Uachtarain. I want to thank her , her husband Martin and her family, for being such an inspiration to us all and to wish them the very best in the years ahead.