The President, Mrs Robinson, will walk out of Aras an Uachtarain on September 12th for the last time with tributes ringing in her ears for a job well done. Our first woman President, she has carried out her duties with great dignity and charm. She has captivated everybody with her work rate and her high international profile. Nevertheless, even though she always gave a warm welcome to foreign guests to the Aras an Uachtarain, I can say categorically that she never reached the sporting heights of Eamon de Valera when he was President.
On May 17th 1968, I saw Dev put on the performance of a lifetime when he welcomed the King and Queen of the Belgians to Aras an Uachtarain. He was old and frail at the time and his eyesight was not the best, but the man rose to the occasion and went far beyond what might normally be required of a President.
Unusual entertainment
The then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, was present for the occasion. Jack felt that they should lay on a bit of unusual entertainment for the young royal couple. As a holder of five All-Ireland hurling medals, he decided he would put on a little exhibition of our national game. Out on the beautifully manicured lawns of the Aras, Jack explained the rules of hurling to the puzzled king. He then produced a couple of hurleys and hit a few shots across the lawn.
Even though he hadn't played for many years, you could see the fluency was still there. The royals and the VIPs clapped politely. Jack was in his element and you could see he thought he was back in Croke Park again.
Dev, who used to play rugby in Blackrock College, looked on with a smile on his face. Then he decided that Lynch had had enough of the limelight. After all, he was the President, and hadn't he been a Taoiseach long before young Lynch had ever put his foot in the Dail?
"Give me a hurley," he said, fretting to get involved in the action. A lot of people became concerned. An elderly, half-blind man could do a lot of damage with one of those sticks. What if he clobbered the King, or even worse, his attractive Queen?
Department of Foreign Affairs personnel were horrified and had premonitions of an international incident. They had visions of the King dying ignominiously on foreign soil, having his skull fractured with a hurley ball. Frail little Mrs de Valera looked nervous. But none of them had the courage to tell Dev to act his age.
Flailing wildly
A second hurley was produced and Dev started flailing wildly. The first two shots were total fresh-air efforts, as the crowd ducked their heads and prayed for rain. But Dev wasn't a man to give up too easily. After a few more hissing fresh-air shots, he got the rhythm and began blasting the ball across the grass. Obviously enjoying himself, he shouted at the eager photographers: "Watch your heads." The onlookers gave advice and the photographers requested the President to retake each shot. It was a lovely sight to behold. But there was more . . . The King, carried away by the occasion, asked if he could join in. He swung one-handed on the ball and sent it whizzing about 50 yards. However, he failed when he tried to get the ball off the ground on to the hurley without using his hand. That is tricky at the best of times. He was also worried about the photographers' welfare and shouted: "You don't know the risk you are taking."
The caretakers of Aras an Uachtarain watched the proceedings in suspense, but no windows were broken. A few shrubs and flowers received direct hits, but otherwise there were no casualties. The swinging went on with great gusto, with each of the menfolk trying to outdo the other. The only thing missing was a commentary by Michael O' Hehir.
Queen Fabiola and Mrs de Valera, the VIPs and Foreign Affairs people, all now fully relaxed and smiling, marvelled at Dev - a feeble old man with such poor eyesight - putting on such a great performance. He was determined to entertain his guests and give them a real Irish welcome. He showed them he wasn't finished yet: there was still plenty of life in the old dog.
The fun and games lasted for about 20 minutes. Then Dev reluctantly admitted that he was feeling a bit tired and the exhibition came to an end. You could say that the royal couple had been given a unique welcome. I'm sure it was something they never forgot.
Sense of humour
It must be said that the Aras was generally quiet and uneventful during Dev's reign - the man rarely, if ever, went abroad or caused any waves - but Jack Lynch and the King of Belgium got the best out of him on that sunny May day in 1968. It was nice to see him so relaxed and literally throwing caution to the wind. He really enjoyed himself. Those of us present got a great buzz out of watching him throw off his usual austere demeanour. It was the first time I realised that this man, a legend in his own lifetime, had a sense of humour. He usually took life so seriously; he always appeared to be a very cold, intimidating, austere figure.
Mary Robinson was one of the greatest presidents we ever had, but she never swung a hurley for royalty.