CHARISMATIC Irish prime minister Enda Kenny described the new Luton Irish Forum building as a “beacon of hope, friendship and solidarity” for the Irish community during a visit to the town on Thursday.
Taoiseach Kenny, fresh from a trip to Downing Street where he discussed peace in Ireland and the economy with UK PM David Cameron, officially opened the forum’s newly redeveloped Hitchin Road home.
Greeted more like a celebrity than a politician by a packed centre, Mr Kenny spent more than an hour talking to people who have been helped by the Irish Forum and meeting well-wishers from the Irish community.
After unveiling a plaque to commemorate the occasion, Mr Kenny told the crowds: “It’s a pleasure for me to be here on an historic occasion that signals the end of one era and the beginning of a new era.”
Comparing Ireland’s current precarious financial state to that which saw thousands of Irish emigrate to Luton in the post-war boom, Mr Kenny said: “Where I come from, the issue of forced immigration because of economic circumstances is deeply embedded in our culture.
“Many people in this room left (Ireland) when times were very difficult and contributed successfully not only to the UK economy but to that of their loved ones in Ireland.
“What I see in front of me are people who dealt with adversity in the past in a pragmatic way.
“I want you to understand that despite our difficult economic circumstances, I want to see that we’re able to maintain frontline services through centres such as this in Britain.
After adding that he was proud of the achievements of the Luton Irish community, Taoiseach Kenny joked about the part that Irish emmigrants in Luton have to play in his country’s economic recovery.
He said: “Understand that you carry on your forehead the badge of our nation and tell your neighbours that they’ll get really good value if they visit Ireland. And if they want to come to the government buildings, despite the austerity measures we’ve put in place, I’m sure we’ll still be able to offer them a good old cup of tea.”
The centre is around 70 per cent bigger than Kathleen Connolly House, the LIF’s former home, and was built with funding from the Irish government and Luton’s Bushwood Partnership.
John Boyle, director of the Bushwood Partnership, which also designed and built the centre, said: “Today is the end result of a great deal of hard work and effort and it has been fantastic that the Taoiseach has made his way to Luton to officially open the new building. The LIF is a very special charity that has had a very special day and I feel honoured to be part of it.”