THERE was great excitement around Inishowen
yesterday as the Presidential cavalcade carrying
Irish head of state, Mary McAleese, blew through the
peninsula like the summer wind.
Like birds on a wire, there were groups of people
scattered in different locations throughout
Inishowen – all standing in brilliant sunshine,
while they waited for President McAleese to make her
way to them.
Dressed in a red suit, President McAleese’s first
stop took her to the eastern corner of Inishowen,
where she landed with husband Martin by helicopter
at Moville GAA grounds to officially launch an
Integration Through Technology project between the
local Gaelscoil and St. Columb’s NS.
From there it was on to Muff, where she opened the
Muff Sheltered Housing Scheme.
The President’s final Inishowen engagement took her
to Tullyarvan Mill in Buncrana, where she arrived,
slightly ahead of schedule at noon, to launch phase
II of the burgeoning community centre.
Flanked by members of the gardai allied to her own
personal entourage, President McAleese was typically
relaxed, friendly and open as she greeted local
children, teachers, community workers and elected
representatives.
After disembarking the
Irish Air Corps helicopter in Moville at 9.45am,
President McAleese was welcomed by local school
children, who formed a guard of honour and sang a
song.
Gaelscoil Cois Feabhail principal, Alicia Nic Earain
said it was a day to remember for everyone.
“It was an absolutely brilliant experience and a
huge honour to welcome the President. The children
were so excited, especially because she arrived by
helicopter,” she said.
“President McAleese is a very humble, kind and
generous person and her speech was very much
addressed to the pupils of the Gaelscoil and St.
Columb’s, which was great.
“The children did us proud and I would like to pay
tribute to the teachers, staff and boards of both
schools for their work on the INIT scheme,” she
added.
Scores of locals in the Muff area were next to come
face-to-face with President McAleese when she
arrived in the village with sirens blaring at 11am
to unveil a plaque at the Warrenview Manor Sheltered
Housing project.
Speaking in Buncrana on the final stop of her
whistlestop tour, President McAleese described
Tullyarvan Mill ‘as a piece of genuis’. She was
greeted by a local quintet of Irish traditional
musicians, dignitaries, staff and committee members
of the mill.
Colaiste Chineal Eoghain pupils, Conor Grant and
Amanda Nelson, delivered a special message in Irish
while a huge ‘Failte Romhat a Uachtarain’ banner
welcomed the head of state.
Speaking to some 200 guests in the Swilly/Foyle
Suite, the President paid tribute to the people
behind the scenes at Tullyarvan Mill.
“Volunteers got together to create a wonderful,
wonderful place here. It is an extraordinary story.
Thank god for the funders and the people who
persuaded them that this could be done,” she said.
“People have invested years of work in Tullyarvan
Mill and it has paid a community dividend for
Buncrana that no stock exchange could wipe away.
Today is symbolic of the glowing enthusiastic effort
over the years, which has made the project such a
success.
“People have worked so hard to keep jobs and
opportunities alive in Buncrana. They are the heart
and soul of Tullyarvan Mill. It is a great example
of the community working for itself to create a
flourishing vibrant centre,” the President added. To
see photos of President McAleese in Inishowen
click here .
