 I would like Mr. President, on your arrival on Irish soil, to thank you most sincerely for the warm reception which you accorded to the head of our government, Dr. Fitzgerald, on his recent visit to your country, and to his predecessor in office, Mr. Rahe, who visited you in 1982. Your visit to this land opens another important chapter in the history of Irish-American relations. It revitalizes the close ties of blood and friendship, the democratic values and the shared interests which bind the people of Ireland and the people of the United States. This is your third visit to Ireland, Mr. President. On this occasion, you will for the first time visit the village, Ballyporeen, where your great-grandfather lived, until the dream of a new life in a land of opportunity drew him with thousands of others away from the bleak reality of 19th-century Ireland. Today, the elected leader of the United States of America bears witness to how fully that ancestral dream has been realized. Mr. President, you have come back to a friendly, relaxing, yet vigorous and dynamic country. This is an old land rich in youth and youthful enthusiasm. Over half our population is under the age of 25. This is our greatest asset and source of strength. We face the future full of hope and self-confidence. We know that you are aware of unresolved problems with which we are preoccupied and of our untiring efforts to find solutions for them. Your interview in our national television service a few days ago showed your understanding of our political problems and of the wholehearted efforts to deal with them by those public representatives who participated in the New Ireland forum. That interview also displayed an appreciation of the sincere anxieties of many of our people in relation to world affairs. We feel that it is our duty to express our genuine concern about such matters. Your visit, Mr. President, causes us to recall times past. We remember with gratitude that the United States gave a home and hope to millions who left this island. We remember, too, with pride the generous contribution which those immigrants from Ireland made to the country which received them and gave them shelter. Our countries have been bound together in kinship ever since. Mr. President, this is a country where your fellow citizens find unrivaled opportunities for fishing, golfing, horse riding and hunting. But I know your schedule may not allow you the leisure enjoyed by your fellow citizens. I wish you and Mrs. Reagan and those who accompany you a most pleasant and memorable stay in Ireland. May you derive enjoyment and inspiration from it. Kade Milafatjaroiv in our mask. President and Mrs. Hillary, Prime Minister and Mrs. Fitzgerald, distinguished guests, and I want to add with the greatest of pleasure, I'll try, hock jargale. How did I do? On behalf of Nancy and myself, thank you very much for your warm and wonderful Irish welcome. We're beginning a mission to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation among the world's leading democracies. It's our deepest hope and our earnest conviction that we can make genuine progress together toward a safer world, a more prosperous world, a far better world. To be able to begin our journey on this isle of wondrous beauty, with a countryside green as no other place seems to be, to be able to stand in the soil of my ancestors, among all of you, is for me a very special gift. I want you to know that for this great grandson of Ireland, this is a moment of joy. And I'm returning not only to my own roots, I'm returning to America's roots. So much of what America means and stands for, we owe to you, to your indomitable spirit and generosity, and to your impassioned love for liberty and independence. There are few people on earth whose hearts burn more with the flame of freedom than the Irish. George Washington said, when our friendless standard was first unfurled for resistance, who were the strangers who first mustered around our staff? And when it reeled in fight, who more bravely sustained it than Aaron's generous sons? You did. America has always been a haven of opportunity for those seeking a new life. They in turn have given to us, they have shaped us and enriched us. And from the beginning, when that first large party of your ancestors arrived at Newport News in 1621, your Irish blood has enriched America. With courage and determination, you helped our struggling colony break free. And then day by day, by the sweat of your brow and with an ache in your back, you helped turn our small, undeveloped country into a great and mighty nation. Your hearts and minds shaped our literary and cultural history. Your smiles, mirth and song, lifted our spirits with laughter and music. And always you reminded us by your deep faith, that wisdom and truth, love and beauty, grace and glory begin in him, our Father, our Creator, our loving God. No wonder, no wonder we've been blessed all these years by what some call the luck of the Irish. Today, the sons and daughters of our first Irish settlers number 40 million strong, speaking for them and even for those not so fortunate. May I say, we're still part of you. We have and will remain true to your values, long live Irish-American friendship. The challenges to peace and freedom that we face today are neither easy nor free from danger, but face them we must and surmount them we can, providing that we remember the rights of individual liberty and of government resting on the consent of the governed are more than the sole possession of a chosen few. They are universal rights, gifts from God to men and women everywhere. And those rights are a crucial anchor for stability in a troubled world, a world where peace is threatened by governments that oppress their citizens, renounce God and pray on their neighbors. Edmund Burke's warning of nearly two centuries ago holds true today. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Well, Ireland today is undertaking important responsibilities in international councils and through your peacekeeping forces to help reduce the risks of war. The United States bears a heavy burden for strengthening economic development and preserving peace and we're deeply grateful for Ireland's contributions. Americans are people of peace. We've known and suffered the trauma of war, witnessed the fruits of reconciliation, and that is why we pray tolerance and reconciliation will one day unite Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland in a spirit of communion and community. And that is why those who advocate violence or engage in terrorism in North Ireland will never be welcome in the United States. Looking to the future, I believe there's reason for optimism and confidence. America's economic expansion can and should bring more jobs and opportunities to your people and the more than 300 United States companies that are based here demonstrate our clear commitment to a future of peace and well-being for all the people of Ireland North and South. So thank you again for making Nancy and me feel so welcome. And may I speak for so many of your families and friends in America when I say the words Ireland, oh Ireland, country of my fathers, mother of my yearning, love of all my longings, home of my heart. God bless you.