‘I would highlight community if I am your new president’

Heather Humphreys was on her way home from the Ploughing on Thursday afternoon when she stopped for a break at the Mullingar Park Hotel and to say hello to her friend, Matt O’Connor, who is general manager there.

Keen to let the former government minister and now Fine Gael candidate in the presidential election see a small slice of life in Westmeath, Mr O’Connor invited Ms Humphreys to join him at the Westmeath Examiner Community and Sports Awards, where he was representing the hotel as host and category sponsors.

We at the Westmeath Examiner invited Ms Humphreys to take the podium for a few minutes, and she graciously accepted. “I just dropped in here for a couple of minutes on my way past, so it’s lovely to be able to speak to you,” she said. “I really want to commend everybody involved in these awards. It’s a great achievement to get an award. It’s also a great achievement to be nominated.

“It’s really inspiring to see so many young sports people here, from all different types of sports, who are getting due recognition for all the hard work and all the effort that they have put in. I also, when I think of young sports people and clubs, I think of the volunteers. I think of the huge amount of work that the volunteers in this country have put in to making these things possible.

“As part of my presidential campaign, and if I’m fortunate enough to get elected, I want to put community at the centre of what I want to do as president. And why do I say community? I say community because that’s what this country is made up of.

“It’s made up of communities right across the entire island, communities who hold us together, who hold the fabric of our society together. And they’re made up of volunteers.

“I really would like to use the presidency to recognise what volunteers are doing, the length and breadth of this country.

“You are the unsung heroes, whether it’s the GAA club, whether it’s the Men’s Sheds, or whether it’s the Tidy Towns, and so many other organisations right across this country.

“I really would like to use the presidency to highlight the importance of what we have in our communities, the important role that volunteers play.

“Now I know I’m holding you back, I see lovely food there. So I really just want to say thank you so much for the opportunity to speak to you, and I humbly ask you for your support in the forthcoming election. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go raibh.”

• Full report on the awards event from page 39.