The President and Martin McAleese pose with the McEvoy clan.

Carryduff GAC had one of the proudest days in its history on Friday 8th February 2008 when An Uachtarán na h’Eireann, Mary McAleese, visited the Club to support the first event in our Community Outreach Initiative, the visit of Carryduff Retirement Network.

The Network is a cross-community body comprising retirement groups from the local area. A dynamic and progressive organisation, the Network is working on a similar programme to the Club of building relationships, respecting difference and building community.

The programme of events began with boys and girls football matches at the Club grounds. Players from St Joseph's Primary played challenge games to give our friends in the Network a taster of Gaelic games. After the games, the focus shifted to the Parish Hall, were a Cultural demonstration was to take place. There, in one of the year’s worst kept secrets, President McAleese gave her endorsement to the work that the Club carries out in the community.

The Chairperson began the proceedings by welcoming the President and the Retirement Network to the showcase. He then spoke on the major outreach initiative that the Club are embarking on in the future.

Cultural Chairperson, Harry McEvoy, then gave a background to the Scór competitions and then introduced the acts. Niamh Brownlee was the first act, singing “Star of the County Down” in honour of the President. The 2008 Club Scór Na nOg team from the McGarrity School of Dancing were up next before Kieran Devi Sharma from Glenveagh Special School singing “Cliffs of Dooneen”. Claire, Stephen & Matthew Adams then gave a display of traditional Irish music which would grace any concert venue. Michael McGrath dressed in his school uniform and sporting a black eye had everyone in stitches with the poem “Do Da”. A second dance was performed by the 2007 Scór Na nOg team from the McGarrity School with Cecilia Agnew rounding off a first class show with “Bright Blue Rose”.

The President spoke of her great love of the GAA. All those there felt that her love of the games came through in her unscripted speech; it was truly from the heart. She spoke of the memories that the GAA community creates. How the organisation is one big world wide family, anywhere in the world you go and mention hurling football or camogie you can make new friends instantly. She told how she had visited a GAA club in Guernsey and attended the Asian GAA games in Phuket in Thailand. How Irish people had started Clubs in far flung places like Hong Kong and Japan were the locals are now starting to take a keen interest in playing.

Speaking on how important the organisation is to children, she told how like any parent she knows that her children are safe if they are involved in gaelic games and culture. She also spoke of the need for more role models for girls, role models that show the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle. She told of her own childrens participation in Gaelic games. Like many other parents she has stood on the side line watching games, on one occasion after making her opinion to forcefully she was even asked by the referee if she would like the whistle! Her family are all actively involved in the GAA. She commented on how her daughter “God help her, is going out with a Kerry man, but I hope to get her up to Carryduff to get a Down man soon!”

She told how she has sat in the best seat in Croke Park for the last 10 years with it her wish to see Down lift Sam before the end of her presidency. She asked Dan McCartan’s opinion whether or not this was likely or was there going to be a constitutional crisis while she stayed on until she could!

The President had also done her research on Carryduff. She spoke of the courage of the parents who founded the Club almost forty years ago and how much poorer Carryduff would be without it. She delighted in how well Ladies football is doing in Carryduff, particularly the u12 and u14 ladies, the top teams in the County.

Earlier in the day, two names, one boy and one girl, were drawn out of a hat from the list of players that played in the demonstration games. Naoimh McGoran and John Leneghan were the lucky players and they got to present the President with a few mementoes of her visit to Carryduff. Naoimh presented a bouquet in Carryduff colours which had been made up by Bernie Mulrine and John presented a Carryduff replica top. Kieran Devi Sharma represented Glenveagh once again, presenting one of the Drumbo Folk Choir CDs.

An area of the hall had been set aside so that the President could mingle with those in attendance but as with all the best laid plans she never made it that far as, as soon as the show ended she was mobbed by well wishers. Patiently posing for countless photographs the President had a kind word and time for everyone. With another engagement planned, the President was scheduled to leave Carryduff at 3.45pm but she must surely have been enjoying herself as she stayed past 4.30!

It was a day no one there will ever forget!

Club Hall of Fame member and Cultural Chair Harry McEvoy, Down and Carryduff Legend Dan McCartan, Martin McAleese and President McAleese listen to the Club Chairperson John Higgin's speech.

Kieran Devi Sharma from Glenveagh Special School makes a presentation to the President.

The President talks to members of Carryduff Retirement Network

The President poses with Fr Sean McCartney and Margaret McCann

Chairperson's Address At Outreach Event
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An Uachtarán na h’Eireann, Reverend Fathers, Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls

A Dhaoine Uaisle, tá an-áthas orm go bhfuil sé is d’onóir agam fáilte a chur roimh Uachtarán na hÉireann, Máire Mhic Giolla Íosa agus roimh Eagras Phinsinéirí Cheathrú Aodha Dhuibh

I am delighted to have the honour of welcoming the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese and the Carryduff Retirement Network to this event today.

In many ways, today represents a milestone in the history of Carryduff Gaelic Club – the first visit by an Uachtarán na h’Eireann and by the Carryduff Retirement Network for whom this event was organised and I understand that they both will meet again in the not too distant future when the Network visits Áras an Uachtarán.

It is fitting that both should be here today sharing as they do the common theme of building relationships, respecting difference and building community - a theme that is set to become increasingly important to our Club over the months and years ahead.

I must mention here Fr Sean and Fr Brian both of whom have given the Club unwavering support since their arrival in the parish. They miss no opportunity to promote the Club and its activities both sporting and social. Indeed, Fr Brian has even threatened, sorry I meant to say volunteered, to turn out for one of our senior teams. Although in truth, I think we would much prefer his continuing spiritual and pastoral support to a demonstration of his sporting prowess on the field.

Carryduff Gaelic Club was established in 1972 by local people concerned at the lack of facilities for the youth of the area and from that time the Club has focused largely on meeting its own needs. The area has expanded rapidly since the Club's formation and is set to expand still further with around 6000 houses provided for in the area development plan. With so much development you would think that central and local government would have given some thought to increasing the level of social facilities in the area but sadly that is not the case. In fact, the position may get worse with a planning application in to demolish our local shopping centre and replace it with apartments.

Carryduff may not be an area of social deprivation but it is deprived of the facilities needed to support its growing population, even the local schools have lost playground facilities. Now is the time to look outward, to see what we can do to support not only ourselves but also the many local voluntary organisations who have had to rely on their own resources to survive. But – survival isn’t good enough any more – we must all plan to develop and thrive. Carryduff Gaelic Club didn't create the problem that now exists here but we are surely willing to help solve it. This is where our Club’s role in and contribution to the community will take us on a new path, a path that will see us embarking on an ambitious project to develop the facilities this community sorely needs. Negotiations with the parish are already well underway for the purchase of land that we believe will more than meet our needs and we will be talking to other local groups to help us find out what facilities will best benefit this community.

To conclude with a few words from the President's own inauguration speech of November 1997 "No one will be pushing, just gently inviting, but I hope that if ever and whenever you decide to walk over that edge, there will be no need to fly, you will find there a firm and steady bridge across which we will walk together both ways."

Before I hand over to Harry McEvoy, "Mr Culture" in the Club, to introduce our performers I could not but mention the tragic events within the Club over the last few months that have helped us to realise that we as a Club do not exist in isolation but rather are a very real and central part of this community. We have awakened to our social responsibility and while it may take time and effort to bring our vision to fruition, I have no doubt we will achieve our aspirations.

Go raibh maith agat as bhur n-éisteacht agus anois labharfaidh Harry McEvoy libh.