President Higgins makes impassioned plea for future of Irish language, reports the Irish Times. Every community expresses its basic values in the way in which it treats a language, President Higgins tells rally. The Uachtarán na Éireann today joined Pádraig who went out to celebrate the Irish language with his friends at “Beo” (Alive).

It was branded as an historic event. It was – even at a very personal level. Because this was Pádraig’s very first event that he joined without us, without any carers or any other ‘professional’. It was just himself with his friends. It was amazing. Really. For him to be there with the people he values so much, those he spent the best time of his life with, for them to walk with him down from Parnell Square to Merrion Square – what that means is hard to put into words.

At the end of that long walk, there was a huge party in Merrion Square with one of the top acts being Kila, the band he likes so much – and to be treated by his ‘old’ friend from this fantastic band, unbelievable. On the way home, we met Marcus who wrote the poem and song about Pádraig’s journey at a time when he hadn’t met him.

 

It’s a real long way from those first days when we feared for the worst. This is ‘Beo’ at its best!

‘Sans Parent’ – a very significant first!

Hut ab!