Dalai Lama urges Irish to 'work hard'

Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has advised Irish people to work hard with self-confidence to help pull themselves out of financial crisis.

The exiled Nobel Peace laureate begins his first trip to Ireland in 20 years with a sold-out event attended by an estimated 2,000 people in Dublin.

The 76-year-old walked hand-in-hand through Dublin’s Citywest Hotel with close friend Richard Moore, who was blinded by a rubber bullet in the North as a child.

“Hard work, make effort with determination, prosperity (will) come,” the Dalai Lama said.

“Now you must work hard, with self-confidence and more co-operation.”

The Citywest engagement is the only event where the Dalai Lama will answer questions in front of the media.

He is to address the crowd in Dublin as part of the 'Possibilities' civic summit organised through the Children in Crossfire charity set up by Mr Moore.

Later, the Dalai Lama will speak at sold-out events in Kildare, where he will hold a private reflection in the local parish church, and in Limerick city.

It is his third trip to the country.

The Dalai Lama held Mr Moore's hand throughout the 30-minute press conference and at one point confessed to knowing nothing about “money matters”.

Asked if people should forgive reckless bankers, he said forgiveness did not mean one should forget.

The Dalai Lama said people should criticise, but not allow anger to come into their thoughts.

“Once anger comes into your mind – biased,” he said. “So your criticism will not be genuine.”

The exiled leader shook his head when Mr Moore told him about the murder of Police Constable Ronan Kerr in the North by dissident republican terrorists more than a week ago.

The Dalai Lama said the killing was “senseless” and warned that such acts do not solve problems but only increase divisions.

“Whether you like or not you have to live together,” he said. “So much better, live happily.”