Inspirational speech worth the wait

Schools, youth groups, and clubs came from all over Ireland on invitation from the US embassy to join Michelle Obama and her daughters for a VIP showing of Riverdance.

Na Fianna GAA club flying their bright yellow jerseys; Foróige, my home away from home; SpunOut; the local schools in Moneygall, and countless others were present.

Granted, we were a tad early — three hours before the eagle landed at The Gaiety Theatre in the city centre — but nobody can underestimate the task of herding a thousand children through airport-style security to their seats.

Not to worry, there was entertainment for the hour before the main event — a fantastic performance and warm-up from the Riverdance musicians; Zoe Conway on fiddle, musical director Kenneth Edge on saxophone, Matthew Bashford on uilleann pipes and, to quote Riverdance director John McColgen, the “handsome dog” Guy Rickardby on drums. It was a fantastic performance and provided the audience with much-needed relief.

Patience was in short supply, but you know you’re in for a treat when 1,000 young people can be silenced after a three-hour wait. After a brief introduction from Fionnuala Kenny, Michelle took to the stage. She was charming, to say the least, immediately forming a relationship with the audience. Her speech was a magical concoction of humour, inspirations and her fantastic American accent.

Judging from her speech, we seemed to inspire her just as much as she inspired us: “You guys move me in ways you don’t even imagine.” I came out thinking I could fly if I put my mind to it.

Needless to say, Riverdance made us proud to be Irish and to put our culture on show for the first lady. The dancers, singers, and musicians were outstanding, blowing the audience and Michelle away. Apart from my newfound regret at not having taken Irish dancing classes at a young age, I am glad to have had such a truly inspiring experience.