Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In this debate, my party will not be the Opposition. We are all in this together.I welcome the Minister and compliment her on the manner in which she has adopted the role. Her portfolio is the soul of the nation. Senators Whelan and Kelly made powerful contributions. What was particularly impressive was the passion behind those contributions. It was a reminder that heritage is not just about museums; rather, it belongs to the people and inspires their spirit. It motivates us to action. It also gives us a sense of pride in who we are as a people. Everybody here has felt that pride at some stage. Even though we are a small nation, the treasure we have when it comes to heritage is amazing.

I was also impressed by the contributions of Senators Whelan and Kelly in that they gradually went back to their own localities. There is a feeling that our heritage should be centralised. We all know where heritage is cultivated and nourished, namely, down among the people. I come from a small town with a population of 3,000 people, Cashel. When I am at home, I look out the window when I get up each morning at the Rock of Cashel, which reminds me immediately of the antiquity of our race and of the richness of that antiquity.

We are very fortunate in Comhaltas to have a cultural centre called Brú Ború. The centre not only holds exhibitions but also showcases the living tradition. It is organic; it grows and is passed from one generation to the next. Communities focus on that strength. The motion is very much directed towards the national cultural institutions. I compliment the Minister on making an extra €2 million available in recent times in that regard, because it underlines the commitment to our culture and heritage.

There are aspects of love which are sometimes forgotten. There is a small laneway, Dominic's Street, near the Rock of Cashel, where one can find the Cashel Folk Village. It was built by one man who has since gone to heaven, Martin O'Dwyer, but it is still there. The artifacts and memorabilia in the museum are unique. Those involved will not mind me saying that they are not secure in the manner in which they are there. What they have achieved is wonderful. I recall as a young person getting an invitation to go to a local Church of Ireland church when it was not the done thing for Catholics to do so. I was invited to visit what I understood to be a small library, namely, the Bolton Library, one of the foremost libraries of its kind in Europe. It was lovingly and carefully secured and protected. Eventually, it was properly presented, but it is now in danger. There is even a suggestion that it might leave the town of Cashel. I have written to the Minister about the prospect that the library, which is unique, might be taken from Cashel. If it was brought to Limerick or anywhere else, it would be, for the people of Cashel, like cutting off a limb.

If the Minister ever happens to be in the Cashel area, I would be delighted to take her to these spots and give her afternoon tea, because I genuinely feel that the treasures in the town are unique. Senators Whelan, Kelly and I have mentioned what is happening locally. As the Minister knows, the proposed diaspora centre has been shelved, to which I say, "Thank God," even though it is a strange thing to say. When the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, came before the House, he made the same point as the Minister about centralising everything. These things are best done at a local level, where is a human aspect, love, time for conversation and a sense of reality about what we are discussing. The diaspora centre would have been grand and would have been, in a sad way, almost like a Disneyland. When it comes to heritage, that is not what we need. I apologise for being jocose initially, but I would love to take the Minister to three or four areas, such as the Bolton Library, the Rock of Cashel, Brú Ború and the folk village, so she could see what a population of 3,000 people have cultivated. We have been influenced and inspired by that. I know for a fact that one will find the same story in Kerry or anywhere else. That is why I am so glad we are having this debate. I am also glad it did not follow the usual line of looking for extra money. It is not about looking for extra money per se; rather, it is about having a dialogue and engagement, and rethinking where we are as a people.

Heritage is not clinical or frozen; it is living. That is why we are so lucky as a people. When I look back through history, particularly at the challenges that we have faced, I find how we overcame them interesting. I always cite one example, namely, the Young Irelanders, which is focused on our songs, folklore and history. It wanted to galvanise us as a people and make us realise that we were as good as everybody else. I sat in the dining room with a delegation comprising people from both traditions from Northern Ireland today. We discussed exchanging the Orange and nationalist traditions, which we had started in Derry when 430,000 people came to the Fleadh. I received an invitation before Christmas to visit the Orange Lodge outside Derry, meet loyalist bands and talk to them. When we got beyond the labels and tags, we found we had much in common. That is what heritage is about, and that is why I am glad the dialogue is taking place today.