PRESIDENT Higgins has hosted his final afternoon tea reception of his term of office at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Over 14 years in the role of president, Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina have welcomed thousands of members of the Irish public into their Dublin home.
President Higgins hosted his final afternoon tea reception of his term of office at Áras an Uachtaráin this week“They have extended a welcome to approximately 15,000 to 20,000 members of the public at Áras an Uachtaráin each year, including approximately 17,000 people last year,” a spokesperson for the President’s office said this week.
This has included the annual themed series of summer garden parties in the Áras grounds, receptions, afternoon teas, concerts, tours and other occasions, including events each year for Brigid’s Day, International Women’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, May Day, Culture Night, the turning on of the Christmas Tree lights at the Áras.
Yesterday they held their final afternoon tea event, where they welcomed 100 members of the public, groups and organisations from around the country to the Áras.
“With my Presidential term drawing to a close, today’s event marks the final afternoon tea that I will host mar Uachtarán na hÉireann,” President Higgins said.
“The many events such as this which Sabina and I have held over the past 14 years have been occasions to witness the moral leadership and unstinting efforts of so many people throughout the country working towards the creation of a just and equal world.”
He added: “Over the past 14 years I have been constantly reminded that, in spite of all the challenges we face, there remains within the Irish people a profound and unyielding commitment to seeing beyond the self, to seeing the ‘other’ as friend, the principles of generosity, compassion, kindness, decency and care for one another.
President Higgins and Sabina have hosted thousands of people at their Dublin home over the years“Mar fhocal scoir, may I express again my gratitude to each and every one of you for the individual and collective contribution that you have all made to our country in your different capacities, for your friendship, for your spirit of inclusion and endeavour, demonstrating what can be achieved from the values of social inclusion, participative citizenship and sustainable living, as we work towards crafting a flourishing Republic that is responsive to the great challenges of our times and the achieving of an inclusive, peaceful and sustainable future for all on our shared, precious planet.”
Among those invited to yesterday’s tea, were a group of scientists from the College of Science and Engineering in University of Galway who discovered a new planet earlier this year.
The team, which collaborated with astronomers in Leiden University and the University of Arizona, made the discovery using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
They have called the new planet, which is some 430 light years away, ‘WISPIT 2b’.
Representatives from the Inniskillings Museum in Enniskillen the SIPTU trade union were also among the guests
