President Higgins Opens "New Chapter" For Ireland In Inauguration Speech

"Be the arrow, not the target" was the call from Ireland's new president as he asked Irish citizens, of all ages, at home and abroad, to make imaginative and practical contributions to shaping the country's future.

President Michael D Higgins has promised his term in office will be one of transformation, original thinking and positivity as he was inaugurated as the ninth holder of the office in a ceremony filled with pomp and protocol in Dublin last Friday.

The weather threatened to spoil the occasion with heavy rain and strong winds lashing the courtyard of Dublin Castle where the event took place.

But the goodwill towards the veteran politician lifted the occasion, as did an inspirational speech by Mr Higgins, a splash of colorful fashion from the attending dignitaries, and a State reception with 1,700 guests.

Mr Higgins had some harsh words for the "egotism" and "individualism" that drove the Celtic Tiger years in Ireland, but promised a "Presidency of ideas".

And he had a special plea to the Irish in America and elsewhere around the world to play a part in remaking the economy and society at home.

"It is my wish to be a President for all of the Irish at home and abroad," he said during his inauguration address, minutes after being presented with the seal of office and taking the Oath.

"We Irish have been a diasporic people for a great part of our history.

"The circumstances that have impelled - and that continue to impel - many citizens to seek employment and a better life elsewhere, are not ordained by some mysterious hand of fate.

"They challenge our capacity to create a sustainable and prosperous economy and an inspiring model of the good society.

"We, in our time, must address the real circumstances that generate involuntary emigration, and resolve that in the years ahead we will strive with all our energy and intellect, with mind and heart to create an Ireland which our young people do not feel they have to leave and to which our emigrants, or their children, may wish, in time, to return to work and live in dignity and prosperity."

President Higgins also used his first speech to address the Irish people's anger at the loss of economic sovereignty and the economic crisis which left half a million people out of work.

"I realize the challenges that I face, that we face together, in closing a chapter that has left us fragile as an economy, but most of all wounded as a society, with unacceptable levels of unemployment, mortgage insecurity, collapsing property values and many broken expectations," he said, adding that he had encountered many painful stories as he travelled the country during his campaign.

"However, I also recognize the will of all of our people to move beyond anger, frustration or cynicism and to draw on our shared strengths.

"To close the chapter on that which has failed, that which was not the best version of ourselves as a people, and open a new chapter based on a different version of our Irishness - will require a transition in our political thinking, in our view of the public world, in our institutions, and, most difficult of all, in our consciousness.

"In making that transformation, it is necessary to move past the assumptions which have failed us and to work together for such a different set of values as will enable us to build a sustainable social economy and a society which is profoundly ethical and inclusive."

In a key part of his speech, he condemned the basic change in Irish character that he believed occurred during the boom years of the past decade.

He said what individual innovation and independence of mind has given Ireland many great things throughout its history, but "in more recent years, we saw the rise of a different kind of individualism - closer to an egotism based on purely material considerations - that tended to value the worth of a person in terms of the accumulation of wealth rather than their fundamental dignity."

"That was our loss, the source in part, of our present difficulties," he said "Now it is time to turn to an older wisdom that, while respecting material comfort and security as a basic right of all, also recognizes that many of the most valuable things in life cannot be measured."

Mr Higgins delivered his speech to an invited audience of dignitaries that included two former presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, three former Taoisigh Brian Cowen, John Bruton and Liam Cosgrave.

The current government ministers also attended, as did Taoiseach Enda Kenny who paid a warm tribute to Higgins in his introductory address.

The formal ceremony began with a inter-denominational prayer service with contributions from six Christian churches, the Chief Rabbi, a representative of the Islamic faith and a member of the Humanist Association, to reflect secular aspects of Irish life.

The Oath of Office was read in Irish by Chief Justice Susa Denham and Mr Higgins, and she then presented him with the silver presidential seal.

Following his inauguration address, President Higgins inspected an army guard of honor in the Castle's courtyard.

And as a presidential salute was played by the army band, the Presidential flag (blue with a gold harp) was raised at Dublin Castle and Aras an Uachtarain.

President Higgins and his wife Sabina greeted crowds of onlookers and children who waited outside the Castle, before heading to the Aras for lunch with members of all political parties, the two previous presidents and representatives from Northern Irish politics.

The new president and his wife returned to Dublin Castle for a lavish State reception at St Patrick's Hall later that evening with 1,700 invited guests.

Among those were US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney, former SDLP leader and Nobel Laureate John Hume, a host of ambassadors and diplomats, former ministers and politicians of all hues.

Actor Gabriel Byrne, comedian Des Bishop, poet Paul Durcan and musician Christy Moore were also there.

Entertainment was provided by Sharon Shannon and her band, and televisions screens relayed the big Ireland v Estonia football match although the sound remained muted.

Mr Higgins was allowed to invite 70 personal guests - and he included among them the six defeated candidates in the election.

By Sunday, President Michael D was performing his first official duties in the office - attending a Remembrance Service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, and crossing the border for the first time to visit Derry and present the winning trophy in an all-island school choir competition.

His first major political task this week will be to appoint seven people to the Council of State - a body including all living former Taoisigh, presidents and chief justices that advises the President of the day on matters of constitutional importance.