Sticky PostingsOilSpeech from the 9th Annual Congressional Forum
9th Annual Congressional Forum Speech
 as promised... OPENING Esteemed guests, friends of the Washington Ireland Program, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is with great pleasure and excitement that on behalf of the Washington Ireland Program Class of 2008 I welcome you to the 9th Annual Congressional Forum. My name is Lauren Allison and I am currently an undergraduate at the University of St Andrews in Scotland reading International Relations and French. Being in the US Capitol today, as a girl from Belfast, I feel humbled. This is just one of the many experiences afforded to the Class of 2008; experiences that will never be forgotten and for which we will always be grateful. The people of Northern Ireland and Ireland have many friends in America and this is no less evident in the room today. The Friends of Ireland in Congress continue to show their tremendous support to Ireland and the Washington Ireland Program. Over the last decade a champion of that support has been Congressman James T. Walsh, with whom I have been interning and who we are proud to honour this evening. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement; an accord that changed the lives of everybody both North and South of the border. This evening, my teammates will offer their reflections of the last ten years and their aspirations for the next. I don't want to give away my age, but this time ten years ago, I was approaching my tenth birthday. It was at this tender age that I first became conscious of the realities of the 'Troubles'. This Saturday marks the ten year anniversary of the deaths of Jason, Mark and Richard Quinn who, aged only 9, 10 and 11, were killed in a firebomb attack at their home during marching season. As I watched the news of the tragedy unfold on the television a stark realisation presented itself; these boys were the same age as me. The news reporter could offer no reason for this attack, only the house was targeted because the family were Catholic. Confused, this prompted me to quiz my parents, whether I was Catholic or Protestant. Mark Quinn was ten-years-old when I was 10-years old. Now I am turning twenty and sadly Mark Quinn will not be. Ten years on, I am aware that this small lifetime was denied to the Quinn brothers. The then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam, captured this sentiment in the aftermath, stating that: "With the Good Friday Agreement and the election of the New Northern Ireland Assembly, the ground has been laid for those better times. Tragically Mark, Richard and Jason will not share them." This evening we will hear from 4 speakers, all of who lived through the last ten years. They will speak of a troubled history overcome and look to future challenges that we can face together with a new sense of optimism. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Catherine Green who will share with us some of her recollections from the past. Catherine Green's speech can be read here. As Catherine said in ten years Northern Ireland has come through a lot but I am glad to say that the events of the past are no longer are true depictions of the Northern Ireland we see today. I would now like to invite Luke O'Donnell to the front to speak about how the Celtic Tiger has shaped Ireland and the importance of economic partnership with the United States of America. Luke O 'Donnell's speech can be read here. Both Catherine and Luke highlighted past challenges, which our two countries have overcome. This being said, 10 years is, in the lens of history, a very short time and we are currently faced with other challenges, which have only emerged recently. I would like now to invite Fiona McCarrick to speak about the new challenges, which face our ever-changing cultures. Fiona McCarrick's will be added soon. As Fiona said, culture has changed in Ireland and Northern Ireland. There is an emergence in Northern Ireland of a generation who no longer identify with the sectarian stereotypes, which have been imposed on them. This in itself, although challenging our traditional sectarian divides positively, raises many challenges on identity amongst the youth in Northern Ireland. Allow me to introduce to you Laura McManus, whose experiences touch on this issue. Laura McManus's speech can be read here. CLOSING I hope it is evident from these four testimonies that the past decade has meant different things to different people. We all come from diverse backgrounds despite residing on a relatively small island. For football enthusiasts the last 10 years have seen some momentous occasions such as the 1-0 victory of Northern Ireland over England. For others there have been much more momentous moments politically such as the signing of the St Andrews Agreement. But one thing remains a common strand in each of these challenges. Despite being Irish, British or Northern Irish, the people of our nations now recognise that to move forward and face future challenges we must work together. Yes, 10 years on, I can say we all, look forward to a much more promising future. I have a faith and a hope that 10 years from now, perhaps the next generation of future leaders will be standing here describing successes we could never have imagined. American author Henry David Thoreau once said: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” I believe this is true of Northern Ireland and Ireland. We have seen many events in the last 10 years that could be termed as unexpected successes. Who would have believed 10 years ago that the momentous pictures of two sworn enemies laughing together in Stormont would have been splashed across news screens the world over. So let us advance towards the dreams of a society where religion and politics don’t dictate where people live, work or travel. Let us advance towards achieving the goal that one day we will see a society where our own children celebrate their differences and appreciate the culture of others so that, together, regardless of their political beliefs, they may live in a peaceful, stable and just society. Richard, Mark and Jason Quinn will not get to enjoy the society we now live in, but we can. I challenge not only the leaders in our home nations, but each individual, not to forget the deaths of the Quinn brothers and the 3,523 victims of the troubles but honour them by not wasting our opportunities and make Northern Ireland and Ireland countries to be proud of. Sunday, July 20. 2008A Thank You...9th Annual Congressional Forum Wednesday July 9, 2008  Chairing the 9th Annual Congressional Forum was an unbelievable experience. It was preceded by a pretty frantic day: Wednesday July 9th, 2008 looked like this: 9:00am Arrive at work and juggle some speech writing and letter mailing 1:00pm Calm nerves enough to stomach eat lunch 2:30pm Meet Hillary Clinton 5:00pm Finalise Speech in true WIP fashion 5:15pm Introduce Congressman Kennedy 5:45pm Chair the 9th Annual Congressional Forum Not bad for a 19-year-old from Belfast, eh? The Clinton: Meeting Sen. Clinton was bizarre. It is one of the many events this summer which I still am a bit shocked happened. It was a quick Hi and a photo but it was a brilliant experience to see her in real life. She looked very different from photographs- she seemed down-to-earth, a lot prettier and feminine and well, real (state the obvious, Lauren!) in real life too. I will be honest- while meeting her I was definitely way too worried about the events of the night to soak it all in. I had the task of hosting the Congressional Forum hanging over my head. Adding to my tense state was a very twitchy character jumping around behind me in the photo. Peter Mannion, who had a meeting with Sen. Obama around the same time as meeting Hillary Clinton, was in a blind panic in case he was late and nearly took Sen. Clinton out while running down the stairs to get to Sen. Obama. Oh, the irony. The Forum:  I knew it was coming. Ever since I heard the mention of the Congressional Forum I had a weird feeling that I would be speaking. Little did I know that as I opened up the email from Kieran that I would be hosting the event. Cue the "Dun dun duuuuuuu...." music.I wasn't too scared- I thought all I would do is read out a speech and introduce people. Then we met with the MT. Apparently the Congressmen would come and go as they pleased during the event and I would have to introduce them when the arrived. I didn't think this would be too horrendous an ordeal, maybe two would show up, I had heard of years when none came. Little did I know that this would not be the case this year. Fifteen minutes to go and Lauren is applying her make up in the bathroom mirror- trying her best to make sure her blusher doesn't touch the white jacket. Breathe in... breathe out. With each minute I started to calm down as I had resigned my self to the fact that fifteen minutes was ample makeup and speech practise time. Aileen enters to tell me Congressman Patrick Kennedy has arrived and would like to speak now. I try to reason that we still have fifteen minutes to start but apparently there was a series of votes about to start and he would like to be introduced and speak now.  In a bit of a daydream I walk into the room, people tried talking to me but I made my way over to the lecturn and firmly clasped both sides. I began with a baby whisper into the mic asking people if they could give me their attention. Not so effective. I tried again and somehow I managed to introduce the Congressman and end up sitting down with a sigh of relief. Congressman Kennedy spoke about the importance of the program and ties with the US and Ireland and then talked about bringing peace to the Middle East. I was becoming a little more relaxed when all of a sudden I notice Congressman Kennedy place his speech on top of mine. Then he moved his speech and my speech on top of my introduction page. I am surprised no one realised that my eyes had grown to the size of saucers as I started to realise that Mr Kennedy had mixed up my pages with his. Then he lifted ALL the pages, folded them and put them in his pocket. Yes, my speech was now in the pocket of Congressman Kennedy. Seized by panic, I thought about pick-pocketing him but I envisioned the headlines the next morning and thought better of it. Next plan, tell him quietly that he had my speech. A Norn Iron accent did not help this situation and Mr Kennedy replied, "Okay, Thank you..." with a confused face. Plan C- Say to Kieran and get him to ask him for it. So I pushed past everyone and reached Kieran and said, "The Congressman stole my speech" I think Kieran didn't understand I meant literally as he replied, "It wasn't that similar was it?" "No, I mean he lifted it- it's in his pocket!" We walked out after the Congressman only to watch him run, yes, RUN down the corridor. I considered passing out or running after him but neither seemed appropriate. Kieran ended up running after the Congressman's staffer who in turn ran after the Congressman and got back the speech. Needless to say, I was physically attached to the speech the rest of the night.  When we officially started the program there were no Congressmen present. We got through two speeches- the lovely Catherine and Luke spoke to their captive audiences and then we decided to have a refreshment break. This was a clever move by the MT who realised that the voting on the House floor was about to end so a few Congressmen would be coming over.  I knew that Congressman Walsh would be there as we were honoring him for the last 14 years of support he has given to WIP. I knew a few other Congressmen had said they would try and make an appearance but I did not expect to introduce not only Congressmen Kennedy and Walsh but also Congressmen Murphy, Payne, King, McCarthy, Crowley, Carnahan and Neale.  Yes, nine Congressmen.  It was during one of these speeches that I realised how important WIP really is. It is a highly respected program and the amount of Congressional support clearly was testament to this.  It was a humbling experience, as a 19-year-old from Belfast, to be hosting such a prestigious event and to introduce these nine influential figures.  After the Congressmen spoke Fiona and Laura gave really touching speeches and then I closed. Kudos to the MT for the organisation that went into this event. It was a bit of a whirlwind and a nerve shattering experience but one I will never forget (please note: my memory of the specifics of this night is not exactly the best. I used a lot of energy trying to stay standing and not fall over every time a Congressman walked in.)  I realise that, although describing the events of the night, I have not discussed the actually content of the event and the general theme.  Later this week I intend to post my speech later but due to my last-minute speech writing skills the final draft still needs to typed up.Friday, July 18. 2008Super Monday- July 7, 2008
Speakers:
Mark Shields- CNN and PBS Political Commentator Mark Shields came to start off our day of four speakers. He was original and funny. One of my favorite comments had to be one of Mr Shield's reasons as to why Hillary Clinton did not get the Presidential Nominee. He said that voters didn't want Bill Clinton in the White House again. I thought he meant more Clinton polices but no he said, "We all know what Clinton got up to last time in the White House and that was while running the country. Think what he would get up to with nothing to do all day..." I'll leave that comment and move swiftly on to our second speaker of the day... Harold Ickes- Former Clinton deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes was the second speaker of the day. He was heavily involved in Hillary Clinton's campaign. He said that one of Obama's strong points is that "people vote for future and not the past'. I found Mr Ickes insight extremely interesting and he was a fascinating character. Dotty Lynch- Pollster Dotty Lynch described the difficulties and success of Pollster work in the US. It was really interesting to find out about the way in which Pollsters predict the outcome of results. Even more interesting was to be able to hear a Pollster talk about the Democratic Primaries New Hampshire polling results, which went against Pollster predictions. She said that party conventions used to meaningful during campaigns but now they provide 'window dressing for the candidate'. Denis Stauton- Media 24's journalist from South Africa, Denis Stauton was our final speaker of the day. He said that the crucial issues for the Presidential candidates would be Iraq, Global Warming, Economy and Africa, in particular, Zimbabwe. He, like the three previous speakers, supported presumptive Democrat nominee Barack Obama. Now don't get me wrong, I like Barack Obama. I am by no means a NObama recruit. I think if he were to win the Presidential race it would be a positive thing now only for the United States but for the world. Maybe I am being influenced by working in a Republican office but I have come to realise that just because he is an amazing orator, doesn't mean he will be the perfect president. He has only been in the United States Senate since 2005 and a lack of experience may mean he is not ready to be President. By the time I had reached the fourth Democrat of the day I decided to ask Mr Stauton how he thought Sen. Obama could handle an issue such as Zimbabwe with very little foreign relation experience. This didn't go down to well and we had a slight disagreement and he asked whether McCain would be a good President just because he was a PoW. I said of course being a PoW doesn't automatically make you a good candidate for President but I do feel a lot of people ignore the qualities of McCain who, despite the fact he is a horrendous public speaker, does have qualities stemming from his military background that would be of great advantage as a President. This isn't to say I want him as President but I thought after a day of Mr Obamaness that I would throw a spanner in the works. Another awkward turtle moment. St Albans Visit- That afternoon we went to St Albans school, which is a private all-boys school that Al Gore, among other politicians, attended. I went to an all girls school in Belfast and can remember how giggly we would all get heading over to the local boys school despite the fact we despised using their swimming pool. Their swimming pool was disgusting. They would let the caretaker's dogs in and, even worse, the rival all-girls school would be allowed in during the week before us. Yet, despite this, no one ever missed our weekly outing and walking up the changing room corridors there was a distinct overload in perfume and hair spray thick in the air. It would almost cover the smell of chlorine that normally lined the corridors. Heading through the corridors of St Albans was a different experience. I was indifferent to the fact I was in an all-boys school and looking at all the pictures on the walls I just felt old and nervous about the fact we were going to have to participate in a speed debate. Every summer St Alban's hosts a School of Public Service that takes high school students in order to help the community and train them to develop leadership skills. We had dinner with them and then after had a speed debate, which provided a lot of entertainment. I had to debate that this House believes that Global Warming is an inconvenient lie with Hannah from their program. Without being able to research anything and claiming an old boy of the school was promoting a sham we resorted to immature glances mixed with a few quick responses. One guy who deserves a mention is SPS debater Nick Bowen who took 'speed' debating to a whole new level.  Coincidently, today is their last day of the program and I wish their 2008 class all the best for the future. Tuesday, July 15. 2008Conflict ResolutionThursday, July 3. 2008Living for the weekend...
Saturday 'The big kid day'-
Saturday morning saw all the interns rolling onto a real American, yellow school bus in our attempts at wearing 'outdoor gear'.  I sat of the back of the bus because it seemed cool to do. Also, like Judi, I wanted to sleep. This did not happen. I was slightly too excited to sleep and I will be honest- slightly nervous. We were heading to Hemlock Outdoor Activity Centre and I had visions of me stuck at the top of a tree. On arrival, after coating ourselves in several layers of bug spray and sun lotion, we were greeted by Laura and Laura (easy to remember) who split us up into groups for the day. I am not being biased but I most definitely got put in the best group EVER.  We were able to complete all our tasks without killing each other or getting stuck in trees (I was relieved!). One of our tasks involved completing a blind maze, which was challenging to say the least! It really made me think about how difficult it must be to be blind, especially in somewhere as busy as DC. The day before I had tried to help a blind lady who I thought was lost but she actually knew exactly where she was in the metro station and she actually knew a lot more than I did about where things were and I was the one who could see.  Also we went zip wiring! In the afternoon our group and another group merged. This is where group dynamics and leadership skills were definitely tested. In a group of 20 leaders people usually take two stances- let others lead and give no input or else they take over the world. Well, not quite these extremes but tension was evident. Cliona nominated me to lead the group. This was slightly scary as I was forced to make a decision which I knew wouldn't please everyone and 'postpone' trying to complete one of the tasks as there were a variety of factors mitigating against it's completion (my vocabulary scares me sometimes). The next task, however, we absolutely aced- there was still wild tension but completing it lifted the mood and showed how the two groups could work together. Hemlock was a fabulous, sticky and eye-opening experience- some of us finished by playing a bit of volleyball (my first touch of the ball ended with me lying flat out after scraping my back on the gravel- I think I improved after this though!)  That evening we went to the O'Hara's for a BBQ/Pool Party/well needed showers! Thank you so much to the O'Hara's- the food was amazing (that desert was unbelievable!) and it was so generous of you to open your house to some very muddy kids! Just to set the scene for those back home: this house was huge, situated on masses of land which not only a pool but a mini lake too. Upstairs they had a beautiful conservatory area and the decking had two rocking chairs, which over looked the grounds. Amazing. It was during the group picture that I had one of my reflective moments. If this event were in a movie it would go something like this: Everyone scrambles around to get into the photo- the camera focuses on the adults lifting the children, WIPpers joking around, the dog sauntering into the photo, a few shots of the sky and sunshine for good measure. Then the screen would pan out to show everyone with a few little snippets showing close ups of peoples faces. We would all say cheese and then the picture would appear on screen and my voice would start talking about my experience of the summer. Very retrospective but it was at this point I realised that I was part of The Washington Ireland Program Class of 2008.  On the way back we hit a horrendously loud thunder and lightening storm. I would describe the noise of it but I can't, anyone on the roads would not have been able to hear anything other than the voices of WIP and SAWIP belting out some singing. This point defined the weekend for me. There is something about a bus sing song that really builds a group up. It reminded me of being at home on New Years Eve with the guitar singing the classics such as 'Sweet Caroline' and 'Brown Eyed Girl'  The bus dropped 40 rather chlorine and sweat soaked interns off at a rainy Dupont Circle where I was able to meet up with my dearest cousin Rusty! It was great to see a face from home and get to catch up with him. I have only one complaint- Rusty has a full American accent that is miles away from his native Braniel enunciation! Saturday was Vuyo's Birthday! Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed your day in Hemlock! Sunday- The day of rest? Ha! Not with WIP! On Sunday we went to Mount Lebanon Baptist Church. MLBC is miles away from the typical Norn Iron Baptist church! The service started with a type of gospel choir- it was fabulous both to watch and join in with. The pastor asked one guy to sing and it was by far one of the most emotional moments of this trip for me. He sang 'How Great Thou Art' and it was so genuine and heartfelt. It left me quite emotional because as he was singing one single tear rolled down his cheek and it was clear to see that God was working through him. The sermon was really good- it was about escaping labels. There were a few jibes at John McCain, which were amusing (not for Mr Allister though!). The Pastor asked the choir to mix among us- he said we looked too much like an 'Oreo Cookie'. I shall leave that comment there! After the service the congregation hosted us for lunch. Fried Chicken and Sweet Potatoes that were almost dripping with pure sugar and caramel! It was brilliant food and the interns provided entertainment. Some WIPpers sang 'Brown Eyed Girl' and the SAWIPpers sang a rendition of 'In the Jungle'. Kudos to Elaine and Matthew for their solos! Elaine- you have a beautiful voice! Matthew- song choice was super and, as usual, your performance was super! That afternoon I went round to my former host brothers Chris and Phil's house to watch the football but Lenore offered to teach me how to make Monkey Bread, which I am sure is an offer no one would ever refuse! Thank you for letting me in on the secret Lenore! Sunday was also Aoibhin's 21st! Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed your day (and night!)!  I have a bit of an entry to write about Monday's classes but the Mothership wants a blog update now so it will have to wait! Tuesday, July 1. 2008That was the last day of June... but this is the first of July...Thursday, June 26. 2008A Capitol DayWednesday, June 25. 2008Dinner with the President
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Wednesday, June 18. 2008  I don’t think I will be able to process tonight and the significant role it will have to play in my life until I am much older. I still cannot comprehend what has happened in my last week and a half and the last forty-eight hours have both humbled me and floored me completely. I don’t know whether this blog should include my feelings as much as this entry already has, but I don’t think I could write about this night without underlining the emotional impact it has had on me. Simply put, I have just dined with some of the most influential members of the Republican Party, sat beside Congressman James T. Walsh (with whom I am interning) for dinner and I have been within a few feet of one of the most influential leaders in the world, President George W. Bush. I have never really explicitly affiliated myself with ‘Democrat’ or ‘Republican’ in American politics and to all of a sudden find myself deep in the heart of the Republican Party was an amazing insight. I was shocked at how it actually lived up to the ‘Republican’ stereotype that I had acquired through the media. There were men with Stetson hats, a country singer who sang a Christian song, a country band as entertainment and an Irish singer who sang ‘God bless America’. The whole atmosphere was fiercely patriotic with stars dashed across the ceilings and walls in the form of lights, large pieces of wood and posters. The colour scheme, of course, red, white and blue. (There also was a touch of gold to reiterate the fact that they still have the Presidency.) It seems odd to mention the butter, but it was in the shape of eagles!  I kept having deep reflective moods where I couldn’t quite believe that I was sitting at the Presidential Dinner when less than a year ago I was just finishing my A-levels, writing about and quoting the people I was now in the same room as.  One of my biggest shocks was that Congressman Walsh sat beside me for the meal. I thought this was bizarre, not many Congressmen would go out of their way to talk to an intern never mind have dinner beside them. Congressman Walsh was genuinely interested in me, my background and my views on, not only the politics of Northern Ireland, but on the Republican Party and the Presidential elections. It is still hard to believe that someone with so much power and authority would actually be interested in talking to some nineteen-year-old from Belfast.I suppose I should mention the big man himself then….  President George W. Bush came on stage for, what was to be, his last ever President’s Dinner Speech. I will be honest- I expected to see the bloopers that plague Youtube and not to be too impressed with his public speaking but I was very, very wrong. He spoke perfectly, he didn’t use many notes or Teleprompters and he was absolutely captivating. Beforehand, one of the girls who worked in my office told me I could go up in front of him and take pictures. I was adamant that I wouldn’t as I thought it would be extremely unprofessional and a bit rude to be honest, as I don't think the President would appreciate some kid with her pink camera in his face during his speech. When he came on stage Andrea grabbed my arm and told me that it would probably be the only and closest opportunity that I would get to see George Bush as President. Within ten seconds (these few seconds constituted me ‘professionally’ making my way to the front as if I was just walking over to deliver something to another table) I found myself at the side of the stage. Another fifteen seconds and I had lost all sense of not acting like a tourist and I found myself within a few feet of the Leader of the Free World. I did try and take pictures and listen but I was just in awe. There was one point where I pulled down the camera and just watched, just watched. I wanted to absorb every single moment, every word and every pause. His actual speech? Two words: John McCain. Every paragraph ended in those two words: ‘…and the man to do that is John McCain’ ‘…the only way to achieve that is to elect John McCain’ ‘…the next President, John McCain’ He hardly spoke about himself although it was clearly pointed out by others and himself during the speeches that since 9/11 Bush had kept his promise to make sure that no terrorist attacks would take place on American Soil on his watch. (Obviously, a bit of legacy building.) And the only other reference to his Presidency was to Laura, the First Lady who he claimed was ‘the best First Lady this nation has ever seen’. At this point there was applause and then laughter as he concluded with ‘…just don’t tell mother’.  Following this there was a John McCain promotional video. They were obviously trying to market him as the next Ronald Reagan as it started with a speech from Reagan and every other picture or video clip had him in it. An interesting point: number of appearances from George W. Bush totalled zero. This was an amazing experience, one that I never thought I would ever be able to have. It exposed me to a life which I was never privy to before this and opened my eyes to life in American political parties. And I also have to mention something else: we got free, inscribed wine glasses, which was clearly a highlight for me. Not to mention the food! On a serious note this night made me realise how blessed all twenty-six of us are. Whether it is meeting a Congressman, director of a company, or even just getting to know each other, we have all been incredibly blessed with an opportunity that is not afforded to many. Walking home past the homeless American citizens, the busy business professionals, through the run down areas, past the Capitol buildings, between monuments to famous Americans who founded this nation, these monuments where tourists gaze and beggars sit, I realized, yes, I am blessed with this opportunity, but I also have a responsibility to use my experiences to bless others and enrich their lives. So hopefully, a year from now, ten years from now or when I reach the end of my career, whatever it may be, hopefully, I will look back on tonight and realise why it had such an emotional affect on me and that it will have inspired me to use what I have learnt so far and am yet to learn from these eight weeks to bless others. “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” ~ W. T. Purkiser Wednesday, June 18. 2008Monkey BusinessMonday, June 16. 2008It has been one week since you looked at me... |
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