[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 150 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12694-S12695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE OF IRELAND AT THE KENNEDY LIBRARY

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, last Thursday, Mary McAleese, the 
President of Ireland, visited Boston and delivered an important address 
at President Kennedy's Library. In her address, she paid tribute to 
President Kennedy and to the long-standing ties between Ireland and the 
United States, and she spoke eloquently of the peace process in 
Northern Ireland and Ireland, and the people's hopes for lasting peace 
and a permanent end to the violence.
  I believe that President McAleese's remarks will be of interest to 
all of us who care about these issues, and I ask unanimous consent that 
it be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the remarks were ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

 Remarks by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese at a Dinner Hosted 
 by the Kennedy Library Foundation at the John F. Kennedy Presidential 
            Library Boston, Massachusetts, October 15, 1998

       Senator and Mrs. Kennedy, Mayor Menino and Distinguished 
     Guests.
       On behalf of Martin and myself, as well as our delegation, 
     I want to thank you for your wonderful welcome and 
     hospitality this evening. I would also like to acknowledge 
     the presence here this evening of representatives of the 
     Irish Times, who will be our co-hosts at the Institute of 
     Politics at Harvard tomorrow.
       It is truly a special moment for me to visit this 
     remarkable Library and Museum, to join the members of your 
     family who are here, and to share this occasion with so many 
     friends of Ireland who are present.
       Since its foundation the Library has represented the ideals 
     of President Kennedy through a range of research and 
     activities which is truly admirable. I wish to pay tribute to 
     that achievement to you, Senator, to the Library's President 
     Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, to all of your family, as well 
     as the dedicated Board and Staff who have worked so 
     effectively to achieve this and of course to honour also the 
     memory of Senator Robert Kennedy, particularly this year.
       Just two years ago, as a private citizen, I came to visit 
     here. As for thousands of other Irish visitors to Boston, we 
     feel this is instinctively where we want to come. I was 
     profoundly moved. The Library and Museum must surely be the 
     most outstanding living testimony of its kind. For my 
     generation, growing up in the 1960's, we were of course 
     irrevocably shaped and motivated by that extraordinary time. 
     It means a great deal to me, at a personal level, that my 
     first official event in Boston as President of Ireland should 
     be at the Kennedy Library--I can think of nowhere more 
     appropriate.
       When we visit here, we are of course sharply reminded of 
     what we lost, butI would prefer to reflect on what we found, 
     on the legacy which we have and the ideals which we must 
     protect. The Kennedy Library is as much about our future as 
     our past.
       President Kennedy's Irish roots have never been forgotten. 
     His election in 1960 was, for Irish people everywhere, a 
     source of inspiration and joy. None of us will forget the 
     impact of his visit to Ireland at a time of dramatic change 
     and challenge in our own country. As he said in his address 
     to our Parliament in 1963, ``our two nations, divided by 
     distance, have been united by history.'' Those four days 
     which President Kennedy spent in Ireland were unforgettable 
     for all involved. His impact was total, for young and old 
     alike. The words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, another son of New 
     England, perhaps reflect the mood of that time.

       He spoke and words more soft than rain
       Brought the age of gold again:
       His action won such reverence sweet
       As hid all measure of the feet.

       I am pleased to think that in just a few months time, next 
     May, the Dunbrody ship from the President's own County 
     Wexford will sail into this harbour, offering a powerful 
     symbol of the Irish emigrant story and reminding us in 
     particular of the arrival of the Kennedy family in the United 
     States. The emigrant story is part of us all--for many of you 
     here in this room who bear Irish names and constantly 
     acknowledge and celebrate your Irish heritage.
       One of the great achievements of this Library is the fact 
     that it has established such an important place in the lives 
     of the children of Massachusetts and beyond. Our future is in 
     their hands, as it is also in Northern Ireland.
       When Mrs. Hillary Clinton visited Northern Ireland last 
     month, she addressed the Vital Voices Conference. She 
     observed then that in Belfast today, a playground is being 
     built with the advice of children on both sides of the 
     community. They will be, literally, architects of their own 
     environment. Since the Good Friday agreement reached last 
     April, and the subsequent elections held in Northern Ireland 
     this summer, all the people living in Northern Ireland have 
     the chance to design and shape their own future. I know that 
     all of you here shared the great joy of that time.
       The day of the Agreement, however Senator George Mitchell, 
     who did so much to bring the Agreement about, noted that this 
     would not yet put an end to violence and unfortunately this 
     proved to be true. However, despite the awful event in Omagh 
     and other recent tragedies, the Agreement does represent the 
     best opportunity yet for a new beginning, for new structures, 
     for real democracy and equality and for lasting peace. The 
     referendums of this summer have put beyond all doubt that the 
     Agreement is the democratic mandate of the people to their 
     political leaders. A great deal of progress has been made 
     already in forging new partnerships at political, economic 
     and social levels. Difficult work and challenges lie ahead in 
     all of these areas, but, with your help, we are now firmly 
     established on the road to a peaceful future.
       Tomorrow morning, I look forward to paying tribute to an 
     important and tragic part of that heritage when I visit the 
     Famine Memorial in Boston with Mayor Menino and Tom Flatley. 
     That Memorial, on your Freedom Trail, is a sombre and 
     important reminder of the devastation of that time and of 
     Boston's central place in that story.
       But we know too that the story of the Irish in 
     Massachusetts in this century is one of overcoming adversity, 
     endeavour, courage and success. Few of us would have dared to 
     dream of how far that success could eventually reach, in 
     1998, in terms of political achievement and economic 
     prosperity. The United States, President Clinton, and 
     outstanding leaders such as Senator Kennedy, have played a 
     central role in both.
       To Jean, I want to offer our gratitude, affection, and 
     highest respect. Jean, to borrow the Senator's phrase, came 
     back in the springtime. She not only made thousands of 
     friends in Ireland, she became a pivotal figure in our quest 
     for peace. We will miss her very much. She leaves, however, 
     with the satisfaction of knowing that her legacy will remain 
     and that her good work will continue at the American Embassy 
     in Dublin.
       The tour which we have just enjoyed serves as a powerful 
     reminder both of President Kennedy's life and work but also 
     of the challenges which face us all and particularly those 
     dedicated to public service. This institution reminds us of 
     the challenges of public service and of the obligation which 
     we all share to improve the lives of all, while cherishing 
     the ideals of equality, justice and mutual tolerance. The 
     values inherent in good public service are eloquently 
     represented in this Library. We all need to reinforce those 
     principles constantly in our lives and above all through 
     political leadership.
       I want to particularly acknowledge the exceptional support 
     from Massachusetts and the city of Boston for their sustained 
     efforts over the years to promote economic development in 
     Northern Ireland. Many of you will be familiar with the 
     tireless work of John Hume, the SDLP leader, with Boston-
     Derry Ventures to bring much needed jobs to the Derry area. 
     Northern Ireland today continues to rely on your economic 
     assistance. In that regard, I too would like to pay tribute 
     to the generosity and leadership shown by figures such as 
     John Cullinane, present here tonight--and the ``Friends of 
     Belfast'' who are supporting the economic regeneration there, 
     which is so necessary to underpin the Agreement and the peace 
     process. Indeed, I know that here in the Kennedy Library on 
     Tuesday there was a major event to promote economic 
     investment in Northern Ireland.
       I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support 
     that John Cullinane is giving to the creation of a National 
     Military

[[Page S12695]]

     Museum at the National Museum of Ireland--which will 
     recognise the enormous contribution of Irish nationals 
     serving in many armies and in many countries over the past 
     250 years--including those who served with distinction in the 
     Armed Forces of the United States--and of course the two 
     hundred thousand from all parts of Ireland, who were proud to 
     serve in the British Army during the First World War--so many 
     of whom paid the ultimate price.
       The hopes and ideals which we all share for Northern 
     Ireland are represented and cherished under this roof each 
     and every day. As I conclude, I can do no better than to 
     quote from the Library's own words, that in leaving here, we 
     come away with new insights--we are all inspired by President 
     Kennedys vision that one person can make a difference and 
     that every person should try.

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