The Presidential address for the millennium to the joint houses of the Oireachtas next Thursday was discussed by the Council of State at the Aras some weeks ago. All were present and correct except two extaoisigh, as both, strangely enough, were in court. Albert Reynolds was in London for his ongoing case against the Sunday Times and Charlie Haughey was in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a charge of obstructing the McCracken Tribunal.
Mrs McAleese, who has devised a personal millennium theme of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger, will speak for 20 minutes about vision - where we are as a nation, where we have come from and where we are going. Something along the lines of how we have to watch the way we go so we don't lose the run of ourselves.
The Dail will then adjourn as the President joins house dignitaries and party leaders for lunch in the private diningroom. An after-lunch tour of Government Buildings, next door, is being discussed. Later, the party leaders will deliver their millennium addresses and the Dail will then rise for the Christmas recess until late January.
Next weekend, the President goes skiing in Italy with her family, but returns on St Stephen's Day in time for the millennium. She will start the countrywide Last Light ceremonies by lighting her candle at the Aras (where it should fit through the letter box), and will star in a special RTE programme. Her own personal theme for New Year's Eve - Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger - has relevance, a spokeswoman said, for families, relatives, the North and even world peace.