A visit to Arus an Uachtaráin for Gerard Manley Hopkins Committee Celebrated 21 years!The Gerard Manley Hopkins Committee marked its 21 year old Festival success story. President Mary MacAleese kindly invited us to join her in Arus an Uachtarain, Residence of the President. A truly memorable event! We appreciated the warmly reception by the President and by her staff. We particularly appreciated her recitation of a favourite Hopkins poem!
A celebration graciously hosted by President MacAleese in Arus an Uachtarain marked the 21st birthday of The Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival and Committee .. .
Thursday April 9 th 2009 was a gala day and marked an important milestone in the 21 year old success story of the Gerard Manley Hopkins International Festival. The Committee was invited to visit Arus an Uachtaráin, Residence of the President, to meet President McAleese.
All 23 members were there for what proved to be a truly memorable event. The Committee and photographer Gerry O'Riordan drove in the gates of the historic Arus an Uachtarain, at 2.15 sharp. We were very warmly received by the President's staff.
Shortly thereafter, President McAleese made her entrance and proved as warm, friendly and unaffected as we had anticipated. She is truly a President for the people. There followed a short address by the President in which she complimented the Hopkins Society for its years of cultural activity 'important not only for County Kildare but for Ireland', to which poet, Desmond Egan, founder and Artistic Director of the Festival, warmly replied.
After this, the other founder, Richard O'Rourke, made a presentation to the President which included a history of Monasterevin, Desmond Egan's new collection of Prose, The Bronze Horseman and Vivienne Abbott's Irish Cooking in Colour - about which last the President had some questions with author, Viviene.
Next, the President was brought by our MC, Elaine Murphy and introduced to all the Committee. She was surprised and delighted to note that the Committee included both an American and a German and remarked that it reflected the international character of the Festival. President McAleese sent special regards to Geraldine Byrne, President of the Hopkins Festival (and an old friend of Mrs. MacAleese) who was out of the country.
The President then invited us all to a relaxed and friendly afternoon tea. Having another appointment, she left within the hour to prolonged applause from the Society Members - but not before she had invited us to a guided tour of Arus led by a Staff Member. This proved exceptionally interesting involving some famous portraits of past Presidents, various precious items of furniture including the Clinton Table (from the visit of President Clinton, and a short gathering around the Steinway grand piano and a look at the sofa presented by General de Gaulle to Eamon DeValera and which originally came from the Palace of Louis XVl in Versailles.
A never to be forgotten highlight of our 21 years!
