President Higgins lauds ‘courage’ of the Irish amid rolling pandemic

President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to Irish people's "courage, resilience, patience and deep commitment to others" throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his annual Christmas and new year message President Higgins hailed the efforts Irish people have made in the past year. And he said rollout of the vaccine programme had enabled a sense of renewed hope and possibility to enter people’s lives.

“I am, however, profoundly aware of the many people who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 during 2021 and may I extend to you my deepest sympathies at this difficult time, when we remember them all,” he said.

This year President Higgins and his wife Sabina chose Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's depiction of the Flight into Egypt for their official Christmas card from Áras an Uachtaráin.

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“It represents a story of a journey impelled by a great will to protect others – a journey undertaken in great darkness but navigated in a spirit of trust and hope,” he said.

“All of you, in your daily lives, have been called upon to play your own part as we faced the challenge of Covid-19. It is a challenge to which you have risen with commitment and generosity, making the sacrifices necessary to protect your loved ones and your fellow citizens. It has been heart-warming to witness all of our people, across different generations, offering and delivering those expressions of solidarity, kindness, compassion and care for others.”

Great worry

President Higgins said he was "deeply conscious" of the circumstances of Irish people abroad, and of those living in Ireland whose families are overseas, who had to endure "long and perhaps painful separations, often at times of great worry or distress".

With new restrictions introduced recently, Mr Higgins said he was “confident that we will have been building a better, shared future, one rooted in that spirit of unselfish citizenship that has been so visible in recent times.”

He also used his Christmas message to broach the subject of climate change.

Last month, world leaders met in Glasgow at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, to address the climate crisis.

“We are now at a critical juncture in this battle, one that requires vital and meaningful change from all of us, in every aspect of our lives, be it how we produce, consume or behave, if we are to limit global warming,” he said.

“This is a challenge where we will once again be required to play a selfless part, as we work to make the lifestyle changes necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”