Text of 1990 Dublin speech - with handwritten notes by Nelson Mandela
Former South African president Nelson Mandela visited Ireland on three occasions - the first in July 1990, just months after his release from prison.
Mandela came to Ireland to accept in person the honour of Freedom of the City of Dublin, awarded to him in 1988, while he was still in prison.
As part of that visit he gave a speech on July 1 in Dublin's Mansion House - the below image shows the original text of that address, with notes handwritten by Mandela himself.
Among the hand written notes is a reminder to congratulate the Irish football team on their performance in Italia '90 - Mandela's Dublin visit coincided with the team's official homecoming parade (which explains the famous chant of 'Ooh aah, Paul McGrath's da' which greeted the freedom fighter.
The speech was left on the podium after he spoke and picked up by a memento-hunter, who has treasured it for 23 years.
"It is our singular honour to be in this historic city of Dublin and amongst our own flesh and blood," Mr Mandela said, noting that Dublin was the first capital city of the world to award him the status of freeman.
Mr Mandela also spoke in the Dáil during his 1990 visit, paying tribute in his speech to the famous 1984 Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strike group, which led to the Government banning the import of South African fruit and vegetables.
Interesting fact: Mary Manning, who as a 21-year-old Dunnes cashier sparked the strike by refusing to handle South African fruit and veg, has a street in Soweto, Johannesburg named after her.
Mr Mandela enjoyed subsequent visits here in 1998, when he received an honorary doctorate from Trinity College, and in 2003 where he attended the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics.
