USSCapeSt.George         bbermingham@corkcity.ie    www.bbermingham.com

Captain, Guests,

I am delighted to represent the City of Cork as Deputy Lord Mayor this evening.

May I express a “Cead mile Failte” welcome, to you, Captain Hicks and to your crew and all who sail in the CAPE ST. GEORGE?

We are honoured to receive a commander of such fine repute. Your personal awards include

1.  The Legion of Merit,

2.  Defence Meritorious Service Medal.

3.  Meritorious Service Medal (with 3gold stars),

4.  Navy Commendation Medal (with 2 gold stars)

5.  The Navy Achievement Medal.

I hope, you have found our HARBOUR safe and easy to navigate.

Since the time of the Viking Ships, this harbour has seen the arrival and departure of thousands of vessels.

These have included sailing ships of every description, among them

1.  French and Spanish bringing in wine & spice.

2.  Convict ships taking transportees to Australia.

3.  Emigrant ships to your homeland –The USA.

Cobh or Queenstown, as it was known, was the last port of call before the Titanic’s fatal voyage. Memories & artefacts are all around us here in Cobh.

Over 40 million Americans have IRISH ANCESTRY, and the heritage centre in Cobh has a wealth of information in this regard.

You know that President John F. Kennedy visited The City of Cork in July of 1963 the year of his assassination, and we honoured him as “Freeman of the City of Cork”.

So the interconnections between the United States and Ireland are many.

One notable politician says we have more in common with Boston than Berlin.

Some would like us to be the 51^st US State, but realistically our destiny is with Europe, and Europe’s destiny is in close liaison – a symbolic Union - with the United States of America.

Together, with others, we are forever vigilant in the interest of Peace, Human Rights, Security and Democracy.

 The United States is a nation with a long MARITIME HERITAGE.

Until the advent of air travel in the mid-20^th century, all Americans of European, African, and Asian ancestry came to North America by ship.

To Americans, the navy was a symbol of.

1.  Their sovereignty,

2.  Their national maturity, and

3.  Their determination to fight for control of their seaboard frontier.

In 1794, 1,856 personnel served in the US Navy, whilst in 1990 the figure had jumped to 604,562.

This Ship, CAPE ST. GEORGE (CG-71), was commissioned and joined the Atlantic Fleet on June 12, 1993 at ceremonies in Norfolk, Virginia.

It is the first ship in the United States Navy to bear the name which remembers THE BATTLE OF CAPE ST. GEORGE…1943

Since her commissioning, this ship has proven to be in the pinnacle of excellence.

It combines the versatility, flexibility and state of readiness to successfully engage any adversary today and into the 21st Century.

You serve around the globe in areas of highest priority in a tradition of more than two centuries;

THE NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES has served its nation well.

It grew from a small force that performed a limited role, protecting U.S. commerce, into a large and powerful fleet that for most of the first half of the 20^th century was the first line of defence of the United States.

During the cold war, it played, critically important roles in support of U.S. national interests and in defence of the free world.

Going forward into the future,

The U. S. Navy will likely play. - An enhanced role

1.  In national security policy and

2.  In support of freedom loving people’s all over the globe.

God Bless America.

 America for Me
by Henry Van Dyke

'Tis fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down
Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,
But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.

So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be,
In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.

Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;
And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome;
But when it comes to living there is no place like home.

I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled;
I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day
In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way!

I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack:
The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.
But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,
We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.

Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed Land, beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.

America Befriend
by Henry Van Dyke

To thee O Lord, our God, Thy mighty hand
Hath made our country free;
From all her broad and happy land
May worship rise to Thee.

Fulfil the promise of her youth,
Her liberty defend;
by law and order, love and truth,
America befriend!

The strength of every state increase
In Union's golden chain;
Her thousand cities fill with peace,
Her million fields with grain:

The virtues of her mingled blood
in one new people blend;
by unity and brotherhood,
America befriend!

O suffer not her feet to stray;
But guide her untaught might,
That she may walk in peaceful day,
And lead the world in light.

Bring down the proud, lift up the poor,
unequal ways amend;
by justice, nation-wide and sure,
America befriend!

Through all the waiting land proclaim
The gospel of good-will;
And may the joy of Jesus' name
In every bosom thrill.

O'er hill and vale, from sea to sea,
Thy holy reign extend;
By faith and hope and charity,
America befriend!

 America
by Abba Hillel Silver

God built him a continent of glory and
filled it with treasures untold;
He carpeted it with soft-rolling prairies and
columned it with thundering mountains;
He studded it with sweet-flowing fountains
and traced it with long-winding streams;
He planted it with deep-shadowed forests,
and filled them with song.

Then he called unto a thousand peoples and
summoned the bravest among them.
They came from the ends of the earth, each
bearing a gift and a hope.
The glow of adventure was in their eyes,
and in their hearts the glory of hope.

And out of the bounty of earth
and the labor of men,
Out of the longing of hearts
and the prayer of souls,
Out of the memory of ages
and hopes of the world,

God fashioned a nation in love,
blessed it with Purpose sublime
and called it America!

http://homepage.eircom.net/~bbermingham/