Spirit of Irish people will surely hasten a brighter dawn for our country

As St Patrick's Day, or Lá le Phádraig, approaches, it might be a good time to try to define who we are and where we stand. We can only hope that this courageous and enduring nation will not be defined by our indebtedness. We deserve more than that. What images do we conjure up for ourselves when we think of our national celebration? Plastic St Patricks, parades, American marching bands, day-long drinking without any food, followed by the watching of the latest 'Eastenders' episode on TV? Or do we think of early morning Mass with the strains of 'Hail Glorious St Patrick, dear saint of our isle...' wafting out of the church doors, little girls in their brightly coloured Irish dancing costumes lining up to pass the reviewing stand peopled by VIPs, or perhaps at an alcohol-free céili on St Patrick's Night? How does the Irish diaspora - the Irish who have emigrated, the world citizens of Irish descent, and the vast number who wish they were Irish because they see us as having a great time altogether - view this little country from afar? In sending his warm greetings to mark St Patrick's Day, President Michael D Higgins says that St Patrick's Day is an opportunity for the "global Irish family", wherever they are living, to joyously acknowledge our shared heritage and culture and to celebrate and make our commitment to an Irishness of which we all can be proud. He draws comparisons between St Patrick's time and the present day. The life story of the saint was one of "perseverance through adversity, generosity overcoming cruelty and a people being transformed through the power of spiritual idealism". And just as St Patrick brought a vision of hope and renewal to his people, we in our time have our own 'Aisling', our dream of a better, kinder, fairer shared world. In pursuing this dream, we build on firm foundations and draw from old wisdoms. We all get a grandfatherly pat on the back when he describes the Irish as a creative, resourceful, talented and warm people, with a firm sense of decency and justice. We have natural strengths that have built and continue to enhance our reputation, including our community spirit, social solidarity, rich culture, humanitarian and peace-keeping work abroad and our powerful bond with the global Irish family. The President describes us as a "diasporic" people and some might suggest that many of us in the diaspora might prefer a little homestead in a little green Irish field rather than a condominium in some far-flung outpost. Of course we are proud, as the President has pointed out, of our emigrants' achievements in their adopted homelands and grateful for their continuing commitment to the land of their birth or origin. Many have been separated from their homeland by "involuntary emigration" (the President's words) and while he wishes them happy and fulfilled lives in their new countries, it is to be hoped that economic circumstances will, in time, allow them to consider returning home to their families and friends who cherish them so dearly. Perhaps we can be defined better through our enjoyment of the best of Irish literature, music, dance and pageantry. And there is so much to be enjoyed there. Our musicians and poets reach out to people of many nations and it is right that we should celebrate what is uniquely Irish. The President says that "even more joyful is that, in keeping with the inclusive and generous spirit of St Patrick, our celebrations accommodate all ages, all communities and all ethnicities". Indeed, it is not so long ago that I saw children of Vietnamese extraction wearing their St Patrick's Day badges, watching the parade go by in an Irish town. In fact, they may well have been Irish citizens. The new man in the Park also recognises our "love for life and our sense of fun", but also our values system that extols pride of place, community cohesion, intergenerational solidarity and an innate spirit of hope and optimism. It may be no exaggeration to say that we are living through perhaps the most testing time since the Famine. We must keep reminding ourselves that while we have lost our sovereignty, our control over much of our own destiny, we are also an enterprising and reslient people. We cannot succumb to defeat or fatalism. Our indefatigable spirit will be the main force in regenerating a sustainable economy, securing a fairer and happier society, renewing the Republic and making Ireland a country of which we can be proud. Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!