Cumann na mbunscol

President McAleese's Speech at the Roadstone Awards Banquet in the Berkeley Court Hotel
on Saturday, 10th. December, 2005.

A dhaoine uaisle,

Tá lucháir orm a bheith anseo libh anocht ag ócáid bhliantúil Chumann na mBunscol, agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuiochas a chur in iúl daoibh as cuireadh a thabhairt dom bheith i bhur gcuideachta. Ócáid i seo a thugann seans dúinn aitheantas a thabhairt do dhaoine a rinne nios mó ná a gcion i gcaitheamh na bliana chun ár gcluichi náisiúnta a chur chun cinn i measc mhuintir óg na tire. Is minic daoine a rá, agus nil focal de bhréag ann, nach mbéadh ár gcluichi féin beo ar chor ar bith sa lá atá inniu ann gan múinteoiri na hÉireann ag obair go dian, go dicheallach, agus go deonach, ar a son ó búnaiodh Cumann Lúthchleas Gael breis agus céad bliain ó shin. Ba mhaith liomsa buiochas mhuintir na hÉireann a ghabháil libhse, a mhúinteoiri na hÉireann, as an obair a dhéanann sibh ó cheann ceann na bliana, ó cheann ceann na tire, gan chúiteamh, gan aitheantas, agus go minic gan bhuiochas. Molaim sibh go mór.

I am delighted to be back again at the Cumann na mBunscol Awards. My thanks to Margaret Cunningham for the invitation which brings back happy memories of my last visit to these awards. Then the invitation came from my late Uncle Pat Trainor, national treasurer of Cumann na mBunscol, a man whose commitment to the promotion of Gaelic Games at local level was relentless. That night we shared his company and tonight we share the company of his widow and family whose grief at his passing earlier this year was made easier to bear by the massive support received from his friends and colleagues in Cumann na mBunscol and in particular by the lovely gesture of establishing a new award in his name. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Cumann na mBunscol depends on volunteers - an army of them, week in and week out, to do all the big and small tasks that make up participation in Gaelic Games by thousands and thousands of children. On a September Sunday in Croke Park, when we watch the cream of hurlers and footballers, male and female, it is worth reminding ourselves where it all starts, where the seeds are sown. Cumann na mBunscol can lay claim to a significant part of the credit for the dynamism that typifies Gaelic Games all over Ireland and for the gender balance that is now part of the Gaelic sports scene.
And of course further afield, for London and Hertfordshire are official affiliates of Cumann na mBunscol, and I hear that Birmingham is looking to affiliate too. Another good news story for an organisation started so modestly back in 1971 and now the largest sports' organisation within the primary schools' sector. With the spread of Gaelic Games across North America, Europe, Australia and now Asia, it might not be too long before teachers at home are competing for these awards with teachers from New York or Sydney.

The return for this effort is not always in awards or nominations, in wins or prizes, great though it is to have them. The payback is in things that cannot be measured but which add greatly to the enjoyment and fulfilment of life. But it is great to have a vehicle like these awards through which we can acknowledge, and recognise, and reward the people who make Cumann na mBunscol flourish.

I thank the sponsors who support these awards and who support the work of Cumann na mBunscol, the GAA, Roadstone, Allianz, McDonalds and O' Neills. So many children have benefited, so many volunteers have been encouraged to keep going and so much civic good has come from the combined efforts for they are a big investment in the health and well being of our children, our communities and our culture.

Pat Trainor loved this organisation as did many others who worked for it and who have gone on to their eternal reward. They dug the well, we drink the water. We are grateful to all those in Cumann na mBunscol who keep on working to make sure that the well is always full, always the best it can be.

Mar a dúirt mé ar dtús, tá lúcháir ar leith orm bheith anseo libh anocht. Tá mé iontach sásta gur agamsa atá an deis céad - bhuaiteoir Ghradam Pat Trainor a fhógairt. Guim gach rath ar mhuintir Chumann na mBunscol agus ar an saothar tábhachtach atá ar siúl agaibh ar fúd na tire. Gura fada buan sibh, a chairde, agus gura fada buan bhur ndúthracht agus bhur gcroidhicheall. Mo mhile buiochas libh aris as cuireadh a thabhairt dom bheith i bhur gcuideachta.

It is now my privilege to announce that the winner of the Pat Trainor Memorial Award is the Cumann na mBunscol County Secretary in Co. Down - Michael Hanly.


President Mary McAleese