As President Catherine Connolly arrived at St Columb’s Park House in Derry on Friday, Kieran McHugh had his best Irish ready.
“Conas atá tú? I’m afraid that’s as far as it goes,” he said, extending his hand to welcome Connolly to the peace and reconciliation centre in the city’s Waterside.
McHugh later said it was “overwhelming” to meet the President, an experience he would “never forget”, pointing out 16-year-old James Logue beside him.
The teenager played the whistle and Irish flute as Connolly entered and chatted away to her as Gaeilge.
“We were talking about how long I’d been playing music for. She’d been up at my school [Gaelcholáiste Dhoire] too, and she was saying it’s a big school, and there’s a lot to do in it now.”
President Catherine Connolly is greeted by Martin McMullan of Youth Action NI at St Columb’s Park House Peace and Reconciliation Centre in Derry. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA
Logue was “proud” that Connolly’s first official visit included Derry.
“It’s just mad that she came up here and I got to play for her and meet her. It’s not many people get to do that in their lifetime.”
The focus of Friday morning’s activities, the final stop on her three-day official visit to Northern Ireland, was young people. She met teenagers involved with Youth Action NI projects on both sides of the Border.
“She didn’t want any speeches, stuff like that,” said Dominic Bonner from Youth Action NI. “Her main request was that she wanted to sit down and engage with young people, with youth workers in the city, and she wanted to hear the stories of the work that’s been done in the city around the peace process and how we can build stronger relationships, and with our Border counties as well.”
Among those with whom the President engaged were teenagers from cross-community youth organisation Reach Across, Donegal Youth Services, the Royal and Prior School in Raphoe, Co Donegal, and the North West Islamic Association.
“I asked her what role young people have to shape Ireland’s future and I loved her take on it,” said 15-year-old Zena Abdelrahman. “She said she likes how young activists are taking over and talking about climate change.”
Zena Abdulrahman (left) and Cadi Abousamra. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA
“I’m a huge fan,” said Abdelrahman’s 15-year-old friend, Cadi Abousamra.
Originally Egyptian, Abousamra came to the North from Saudi Arabia in 2018. She questioned the President on her right to apply for an Irish passport rather than a British one and on what Ireland was doing to ensure the voices of minority groups and communities were heard.
“She had good answers … she said she’s worked in the Indian community and is starting to work with asylum seekers. It’s good [that] the President is actually coming forward and listening to the youth.”