Waterford communities impressed by the President
Ireland's tenth President, Catherine Connolly, giving a speech in the Mayor's Parlour.
On one of the first bright mornings in Waterford this year, the Mayor’s parlour was abuzz with excitement. President Connolly’s first presidential visit to Waterford centred on grassroots communities. Residents' Associations, the men’s shed and youth groups were a few among the many local organisations invited to the event.
During her speech, President Connolly said that when she campaigned in Waterford last year, she “left with the feeling that I wanted to come back.”
“Having spent 17 years as a city councillor in Galway and one year as mayor, I am in no doubt as to the importance of local government,” she said. “Decisions affecting people’s lives should be made as close as possible to those whose lives they affect.
“I am very mindful of the challenges facing our country and our people, and of course at the top of the list is the ongoing normalisation of war."
President Connolly’s speech focused largely on climate change; she made reference both to the recent flooding experienced in Waterford and the North Quays development, which is planned to be a hub for public transport.
She said: “Waterford, like so many other parts of the country, has seen close up the destructive effect of climate change in recent years with storms and floods that have been devastating to the lives and livelihoods of so many.
“We can’t talk about climate change without talking about the normalisation of war.”
On a more positive note, President Connolly said she was, “really looking forward to doing the greenway.”
She said she was “looking for an invitation.”
Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Councillor Seamus Ryan, began his speech with a few words as Gaeilge.
He said: “Fáilte romhat go dtí na nDéise.”
He went on to say, “It is fitting that your time here begins with conversation and community. Waterford is a place that believes challenges are met not by waiting but by working together. Today is not simply a welcome. It is a meeting between a President shaped by community and communities that shape this county every day.”
Over the next 40 minutes or so, President Connolly mingled with the local politicians and community group representatives attending the event.
Constantine Kon, a Ukrainian man who is involved with the Tallow Men’s Shed in Waterford, said, “When she walked into the room I felt how the whole room was filled with her presence."
John Walshe said it was, “great to get the experience to meet her today.”
Speaking about the men’s shed, he said: “We’ve a great group of men down there, they do most of the work. I just eat the biscuits and drink the coffee."
Mary Connors Aldridge and Jose Moran from Mincéirí Port Láirge, the local Traveller development project, got the chance to talk to President Connolly about their organisation.
Ms Aldridge said it was “great to get the opportunity to talk to her about the work that we do on the ground. She’s very pleasant, and she’s very interested in the work.”
Ms Moran has been delivering workshops in relation to health for 11 years. She also organises a support group for woman, “they’re rearing the kids all day and in the nighttime it's nice [for them] to get away from their husbands and their children and have a chat.”
Ms Aldridge said: “Our backbone is the celebration of the beautiful culture that the Traveller community has locally.”
Liam Horan is the chair of Belvedere Manor Residents’ Association, a group that “looks after the estate,” making sure the grass is cut and the shrubbery maintained. He enjoyed meeting the President and said, “She’s a lovely woman.”
President Connolly also met with some local politicians.
In attendance were the two Waterford Sinn Féin TD’s, David Cullinane and Conor McGuinness. Waterford’s two other TD’s, Fianna Fáil’s Mary Butler and Fine Gael’s John Cummins, were not in attendance.
Senator Joe Conway from Tramore travelled down to Waterford for the event.
One councillor from each political party, as well as one independent councillor also attended.
After the Mayor’s Parlour, the President made her way to the BRiLL community centre in Ballybeg, then the Manor St John Youth Services and, finally, the Millennium Youth Community Services.
On Saturday, February 21, she will go to the Celtic Challenge Badminton Tournament in SETU arena.
