President Catherine Connolly has kicked off her first official visit to Britain with a visit to the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) in Hammersmith, London, in advance of an expected meeting with King Charles in Buckingham Palace.
In only her second foreign trip since becoming President last November, she spent the morning meeting members of the local Irish community and advocates for the Irish language, as well as cheering on a rousing Riverdance-like performance by traditional Irish dancers and musicians.
Connolly spoke of the need to “embrace other cultures” and made reference to Ireland’s housing crisis and its role in emigration.
“Historically, modern-day immigration [to the UK] was driven by economic factors, with large numbers leaving Ireland for London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and elsewhere.
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“This occurred in waves and we know that from the 19th century and the 20th century, and unfortunately today as well, we have people leaving our shores for various reasons, but some of them for lack of housing,” she said.
Led by London police outriders, the President arrived at the west London centre at about 10am.
Connolly was accompanied by her husband Brian McEnery, the State’s Ambassador to Britain, Martin Fraser, and his wife Deirdre Fraser.
She was greeted by Peter Power-Hynes, the chairman of the ICC.
Among the first local dignitaries she encountered just inside the door was Troy Gallagher, an Irish-born Islington councillor and a member of ICC’s board. She asked him where he was from. Gallagher said he was originally from Letterkenny in Donegal.
“Ah, Donegal – Ireland’s most beautiful county ... after Galway,” replied the President, laughing. She is a native of the City of Tribes.
Coincidentally, Connolly was wearing a cream suit by Donegal-based designer Sarah Lorraine Gallagher.
The President seemed poised and relaxed for the opening event of what is her most significant public outing as President so far.
She joked at one stage that she couldn’t see her speech because she defied her opticians by refusing to wear glasses when she needed them.
Connolly initially worked the room, where the crowd included local Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter as well as London-based Irish celebrities such as Dara Ó Briain, who has an ambassadorial role at the ICC.
She took time to talk to the staff of the centre, which is in the midst of an expansion negotiated by Power-Hynes, and expressed particular interest in one of the ICC’s projects, a heritage trail of the Irish community in the local area.
The President then gave her opening remarks in the ICC’s performance space. She told the crowd that the “Irish contribution to British society is as diverse as can be imagined”.
“There is hardly a sector of the economy or an area of life that has not been touched by the Irish here in Britain,” she said.
Departing from her scripted remarks, she also said the Irish should be proud to “embrace other cultures and never be threatened” by doing so.
Her brief speech was followed by a music performance by the tutors of the ICC’s traditional Irish music classes, including flautists and fiddle players.
This was followed by a performance from what were effectively the stars of the show.
The London-based Scoil Rince Céim Óir put on a show that included young Irish dancers who had just returned from the world championships, where they won a host of awards.
This included 11-year-old world-title holder Fiadh Fitzgerald. The President seemed particularly delighted by the smallest dancer in the group, Amelia Morgan (6).
Connolly led a standing ovation at the stirring finale of the high-octane show, which was greeted by the crowd as if it had been Riverdance.
After disappearing upstairs to meet those partaking in Irish-language classes, Connolly left at about 11.30am in advance of further high-profile engagements in London this afternoon.
“Language gives us a powerful sense of home,” she said before departing.
Her trip to Britain takes place against the backdrop of speculation that the British king may soon be invited on an official trip to the Republic.
