The Ireland Fund
of France WildGeese Gala Dinner Paris : 2007
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Speech
by Dr. Pierre Joannon – Chairman, The
Ireland Fund of France
Ambassadors. Ladies and
Gentlemen. Dear Friends of The Ireland Fund of
France, In my capacity of chairman of The Ireland
Fund of France, I am extremely happy to welcome
you tonight in the pleasant surroundings of
the Pavillon Gabriel where, I hope, you will
have a great time.
I am much less happy to have to share two
lots of bad news. Firstly, our guest of honor,
Richard Burrows has been unavoidably detained
and will not enliven our gala dinner with his
wit and wisdom, much to our great regret. The
second one is only too obvious as it took place
yesterday at the Grande Stade de France.
As a matter of
fact, even though we are in the midst of
the Rugby World Cup, I will prudently refrain
from predicting the final outcome. However,
if you press me, I will quote Ron Atkinson
who once said in similar circumstances: “I
am going to make a prediction – it could
go either way”.
In order to stay on safer ground, I will take
the liberty of saying a few words on the Ireland
Fund of France and what it is doing thanks
to your generous support. No better way to
explain it than to quote my good friend Pierre
Rives, legendary French rugby champion who
was 34 times captain of the French team and
won the Grand Slam in 1977 and 1981. He was
also, as some of you will remember guest of
honor in 2005.
We had elected him
as our French-Irish figure of the year not
only because he is one of the icon of the
history of rugby, but also because he made
the following declaration: “Had
I not been French, I would have definitely
like to been Irish”. Coming from a French
man, believe me, this is no small compliment.
If only to prove
that this is not an isolated outburst of
confused identity, our great national hero
recently confirmed his undying love of Ireland
and the Irish. Indeed, at the very beginning
of this month, Jean Pierre did publish a
marvelous little book entitled “Vestiaires” I
warmly recommend it to you as it bears the
influences of famous French writers like Alexandre
Vialatte or Antoine Blondin who are the nearest
thing we have to your James Stephens of Flan
O’Brien, alias Myles na Gopaleen.
At the very beginning of his book, Jean Pierre
Rives Wrote these words which you will allow
me to quote at great length:
“Ireland smells
of turf, stout and human endeavour. To appreciate
the Irish, one must have an affinity for the
supernatural, stories that begin with “Once
upon at time”,
and a belief in the magic of legends.
The Celts keep alive the memories of their
heroes in their songs and drink to the health
of the little people in their pubs. They resist
everything other than temptations as Oscar
so aptly put it. They are indomitable body
of men. They draw their energy
from their history and the wind swept hills
from whence they came. They sing to forget
their troubles. They are proud and we envy
them; they are bold and we admire them.They
have invented not necessarily in this order:
the quiet man, the fighting spirit, James Joyce,
Sam Beckett and Whiskey. History has done much
to this people and not all of it pleasant.
They have had too much of everything and not
enough of the little things that make life
bearable and easy. But the Irish are always
there as are their rugby team admirably demonstrates.
They have beautiful beliefs and can reconcile
you not only with your neighbor but even with
yourself."
May I say that this
is exactly how we feel at The Ireland Fund
of France. It is for this reason that we
have, for the past sixteen years, spared
no efforts to show our solidarity towards
the sons and daughters of Eireann, North and
South, in the fields of peace, culture, charity
and community development. In doing so we feel
that we have contributed somehow to the strengthening
of the bond of friendship between the French
and the Irish who have so much in common on
and off the rugby field. This is so true that
your famous historian William Lecky once said: “In
Ireland we are Passionately French, partly
because of the Irish Brigade who fought for
France in the 18th Century, and partly because
the English take the opposite view”.
What we are doing
in The Ireland Fund of France with your
generous support – and
this is true of the Ireland Funds Worldwide – may
be called philanthropy. And indeed that is
what it is. But perhaps we would be wise not
to use the word, specially if we recall what
Oscar Wilde had to say about this charitable
exercise: "Philanthropy", he said, "is
the refuge of people who wish to annoy their
fellow-creatures”.
Well, this, dear
fellow creatures, is not what we have in
mind. Rather than annoy you, we would simply
like to acknowledge with gratitude your immense
generosity, and will mark it with what we
hope will be a most enjoyable evening. Our
wish is that you feel as at home here in
France as we do when in Ireland. Thank you.
Photo
Index
1. Betty McGoran, Frank Cress Callaghan,
guest, Carmencita Hederman, Bill Hederman,
Evelyn Cress Callaghan
2. Isabella Galy-Aché, Dr. Francis
Fronty, Aine Ades, Aloia Ades
3. Kingsley Aikins
4. Elaine Legandére, Syevain
Roques, Countess Monique des Cars,
Pierre Joannon, Count Jean de Madre,
Ambassador Anne Anderson, Annick Joannon,
Maylis Roques
5. Annick Joannon and Ambassador Anne
Anderson
6. Gallagher Family and Friends
7. Pierre Joannon, Mary O’Kennedy,
Brian Long
8. Veronica Comyn and Former Ambassador
Patrick O’Connor
9. Mary O’Kennedy and Friends
10. Michele Zentner, Mitchell New Delman,
Annick Joannon, Nicholas and Alexandra
Sasson.
11. Annick Joannon, Jean Resfail, Aliette
Resfail, Pierre Joannon
12. Olivier Guichard, Marie Guichard,
Pierre Joannon, Céline Banet-Rivet,
Antoine Banet-Rivet
13. Elaine Legandére, Patricia
O’Connor, Annick Joannon
14. Stephen Joannon and Pascale Le
Mée
15. Mrs. François Van Deu Bosch,
M. François Van Den Bosch, M.
Philippe Savinel, Pierre Joannon, Mrs.
Philippe Savinel
16. Una O’Connor, Philippe O’Connor,
Breda Kelly, Brid O’Sullivan
17. Pascale Le Mée, Annick Joannon,
Countess Monique Des Cars |
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