Presidential praise for care group

THE President described a community group supporting thousands of people across the northside of Cork city for three decades as a “remarkable story of care”.

President Mary McAleese was speaking at the official opening of the Cork Anti-Poverty Resource Network Ltd’s (CAPRN) new Páistí@3 childcare facility in Churchfield.

Ms McAleese, who visited the CAPRN house in 1980 when she was a reporter with the Today Tonight programme, said: “The strength of community is an extraordinary thing. A community can shift things you can’t shift on your own.

“This place is a remarkable story of care and is part of a community that’s determined to be part of problem solving.”

CAPRN chairperson Rosalie O’Brien said community spirit was needed more than ever.

“We are all dreading the funding axe of the IMF, ECB, EU and Dáil Eireann falling on our work which we have built up so painstakingly and with such commitment over 30 years. But we know from experience that energy for growth and change has to come from inside the individual and the local and national community.

“In this, poorer and working class communities have a head start on survival techniques.

“The roar of the Celtic Tiger was never very strong around these parts and as the saying goes here ‘we never died a winter yet’.

“So we will be thinking ‘survival and battening down the hatches and resistance’ to the worst effects of the depression and the havoc wreaked on our country and communities by the moneyed people, the banks and their supporters.”

Young mum Deborah O’Connor whose two-year-old son, Kyle, met the President, described the creche as a fantastic facility. “He loves it. It’s brilliant to have it here in the community. And it’s great for Kyle to meet other kids too.”

Two-year-old Jayden Meehan attends five mornings a week. His mum, Shirley, said it has transformed him. “He had a speech problem when he started here, but he’s totally over it now. It’s brilliant.”

Earlier, the President visited Gaelscoil na Dúglaise which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The President then moved to Coláiste Chríost Rí, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, where she met past pupils, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin and Green Party chairman Dan Boyle.

The President also visited the Trinity Presbyterian Church on Summerhill North to help Rev John Faris launch the church’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

The President’s final visit of the day was to the Brú Columbanus facility in Wilton.

Picture: President Mary McAleese and her husband, Martin, with principal Sean Culhane, meet students of Coláiste Chríost Rí in Cork.