Tutu praises 'very special people' of Ballymun

BROAD SMILES and blue skies accompanied Archbishop Desmond Tutu on a visit to Ballymun, Dublin, yesterday as children sang like “beautiful butterflies”. Some 800 guests at a civic reception stood up from their seats and – on the archbishop’s bidding – swayed their hands in the air as they agreed that, yes, they were “very special people”.

The Nobel laureate was in Ballymun with the President, Mrs McAleese, to open a new school music centre and football pitch as well as to mark the 10th anniversary of the start of the regeneration of Ballymun.

At the opening of the new light-filled music room in St Joseph's school, pupils from seven of the local schools who participate in the Ballymun Music Programme sang an upbeat new composition, entitled A New Day, for Archbishop Tutu and Mrs McAleese.

Their performance was described by Archbishop Tutu as “fabulous”.

“It is just wonderful, wonderful to be here to hear these gorgeous creatures,” he declared.

“You are so beautiful. I gather a few years ago this place was once a very rundown part of the world. But you know a caterpillar and then a caterpillar changes and becomes a beautiful butterfly. You are all beautiful butterflies. You are lovely. I am just so thrilled to be here,” he said, blowing kisses towards the choir.

The music room, which will be a dedicated performance space open to local children and community groups, was designed by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. It has high-quality acoustics and a sprung-timber floor suitable for dance.

At a reception in the town’s civic offices, Mrs McAleese said the archbishop was an inspiration to people who wanted to make a difference in an unjust world.

She said “wonderful changes” in Ballymun over the past decade were a tribute to its people.

Archbishop Tutu told the people gathered they were “VSPs” or “very special people”, and exhorted them all to stand and sway their hands in the air while declaring: “I am a VSP. I am a very special person.” This they all duly did, before whooping, cheering and clapping as the sun streamed into the atrium hall through the glass ceiling above.