Photograph: President Ray Burman meets the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.
The President of Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI), Ray Burman, met the President of Ireland on one of his first official engagements since taking up the office.
President Burman, as he prefers to be known, met with the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, at the President’s Residence, Áras an Uachtaráin, in Dublin.
President Burman said: “The President of Ireland made everyone so welcome and relaxed. We really had the feeling of entering a home, not the presidential building. President McAleese has such an in-depth knowledge of Rotary worldwide, including our outreach work and the progress made to eradicate polio. We discussed the contribution that Rotary makes to society and communities on the island of Ireland, and internationally, and the future role that Rotary has to play in the modern world.”
The purpose of the visit was to acknowledge, formally, the centenary celebrations of the Rotary clubs of Dublin and Belfast, and to celebrate a hundred years of Rotary on the island of Ireland. These are the first Rotary centenary celebrations outside the USA and Canada.
President Burman and his wife Victoria were accompanied by the centenary President of the Rotary Club of Dublin, Randall Gray and wife Jennifer, the centenary President of the Rotary Club of Belfast, Adrian Kerr and wife Margaret, the District Secretary of Rotary in Ireland, Niamh Mulholland and District Governor for Rotary in Ireland, Barney Callaghan and wife Ursula.
District Governor Barney said: “President McAleese has, over her years in office, been a great supporter and advocate of the work of Rotary International. An audience of this type with the President on the fourth day of the new Rotary year is hugely significant and an indicator of that support.”
President Burman says the relationship between Rotary and Ireland is important: “Rotary is very significant in Ireland as the district covers the whole island. We’re also witnessing the birthday of Rotary in Ireland with the Dublin and Belfast clubs and what better organisation than Rotary to help communities prepare for the next hundred years.”
Follow President Burman, thoughout his year, on his official Facebook page.
