Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Republic of Ireland
Encyclopedia
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
made a state visit
to the Republic of Ireland
from 17 May to 20 May 2011, at the invitation of the President of Ireland
, Mary McAleese
.
It was the first visit by a British monarch to the area that is now the Republic of Ireland since the 1911 tour by Elizabeth's grandfather King George V
, when the country was still part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
.
The intervening period saw the 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic during the unsuccessful Easter Rising
against British rule in Ireland
. A military conflict from January 1919 led ultimately to the partition of Ireland
in December 1922. Northern Ireland
remained part of the United Kingdom, while the Irish Free State
(renamed Ireland
in 1937) became a self-governing and then fully independent Dominion
within the British Commonwealth
. In 1949, the Irish state withdrew from the Commonwealth and abolished its last links to the monarchy on the formal declaration of the Republic of Ireland.
While the visit was notable for being the first by the Queen to the republic, she had been visited in London
by President Robinson
in May 1993 and then several times by President McAleese since 1997.
The visit was seen as a symbolic normalisation of British–Irish relations following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement
, which settled most outstanding territorial disputes between the states, including the abandonment by the Republic of its territorial claim to Northern Ireland, thereby removing a major obstacle to a royal visit. Arrangements for the visit included the largest security operation in the history of the Republic of Ireland. During the visit, the Queen visited sites of republican significance in Dublin, such as the Garden of Remembrance
and Croke Park
, scene of the 1920 Bloody Sunday
massacre. She also delivered a widely praised speech on the history of relations between the two countries.
The visit was criticised by republican
and socialist groups. Sinn Féin
, the United Left Alliance
, some independent
TDs
and several smaller republican and socialist
groups were outspoken against the visit, with protests organised at locations of the Queen's itinerary.
and Áras an Uachtaráin
simultaneously on 4 March 2011. The Queen's announcement read simply:
The announcenment came as no great surprise in so far as the visit had been signalled by both Governments as likely. The United Kingdom Ambassador to Ireland, David Reddaway, as early as 2009 had described a visit by the Queen as "imminent".
(then Kingstown), Dublin, Leopardstown
, and Maynooth
on 8–12 July 1911, as part of his accession tour.
The Royal visit occurred a few days before a planned visit by US President Barack Obama
.
The visit drew comparisons to Prince Philip
's uncle, Lord Mountbatten
's 1979 visit, when he was killed by an Provisional IRA
bombing. Sligo
Mayor Matt Lyons said that the local tourist industry was still recovering from the bombing: "Mullaghmore attracted a lot of English people prior to Lord Mountbatten's murder. It took years and years for that to recover and it hasn't really recovered."
The Queen's eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales
, attended a dinner at Dublin Castle with Taoiseach
John Bruton
in 1995. Anne, Princess Royal
, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York
also visited the republic between 1995 and 2010. On 19 March 2004 Prince Charles made a private visit to Lismore Castle
in County Waterford, for the 60th birthday of Lord Hartington
.
Anne, Princess Royal
made several visits to Ireland. On one visit on 17 February 2004, she met Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin
, then went to the Army Equitation School at McKee Barracks, and an award presentation at the Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield, Dublin
.
On 22 September 2001, Prince Andrew, Duke of York
, attended a ceremony at Kinsale
in County Cork to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Battle of Kinsale
. On 5 February 2007, Prince Andrew visited Dublin to promote trade links, meeting Mary McAleese and Bertie Ahern. He met John Hurley, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, visited wind farm company Airtricity
, and attended a dinner hosted by David Reddaway
, the British ambassador.
In January 1996, just before one of his sister's visits, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
, visited Dublin to present the Gaisce Gold Awards. On 27 August 1999, Prince Edward visited Dublin Castle with his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, for the world conference of the International Award Association
, and met Mary McAleese. It was the couple's first trip abroad since their marriage in June 1998.
When the Queen met Mary Robinson in 1993, this was the first meeting between an Irish head of state and a British Sovereign. The Duke of Edinburgh visited Dublin on 10 November 1998, his first visit to the Republic of Ireland. He arrived by RAF helicopter at Áras an Uachtaráin
, and launched the Millenium Gold Encounter for Ireland's Gaisce – The President's Award. Prince Philip also visited Dublin on 26 April 2006, again for the Gaisce Awards and met Bertie Ahern.
Enda Kenny
linked the visit to the Good Friday Agreement being put into full effect. The Queen was welcomed by Irish President Mary McAleese
. The First Minister
and Democratic Unionist Party
leader Peter Robinson
said the visit was "a sign of the normalisation of relations between our two countries", while the leader of Sinn Féin
, Gerry Adams
, said he did not "think this is the right time for the English Queen" to visit. He further described the timing of the visit, which was to occur on the anniversay of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
as "particularly insensitive". McAleese said it was "absolutely the right moment", and described the visit as "an extraordinary moment in Irish history". An opinion poll conducted shortly before the visit showed that it had the support of 77% of the Irish people. Adams later expressed a more conciliatory tone toward the visit: “I want to see a real and meaningfully new and better relationship between the peoples of Ireland and Britain.... The visit by the Queen of England provides a unique opportunity for the British establishment to make it clear that this is its intention also." Martin McGuinness
, the Sinn Féin deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, declined invitations to attend ceremonies at the Garden of Remembrance and the National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge, saying the royal visit was "premature".
However, the cost of the visit was a cause for concern for some. Socialist Party
TD
Joe Higgins
asked in Dáil Éireann
if "the queen of England might be politely asked to contribute to the cost of her bed & breakfast during her visit to Ireland," observing that "the Irish people needed the financial help since they could soon be – metaphorically speaking – sleeping rough
, as the country faced bankruptcy
to pay off the debts of German
and French
banks which had recklessly gambled and lost in the Irish property bubble
". According to Richard Boyd Barrett
TD, the total cost of the visit was approximately €30 million (US$42 million, GB ₤26 million).
David Cameron
described the visit as "a huge step forward" for diplomatic relations between the two countries, while former prime minister Sir John Major
also rejected Gerry Adams' criticism that the visit was premature, saying that the visit put "a seal on the past and builds for the future", and that there had not been "anything of equivalent significance in the last few decades".
were borrowed by the Gardaí from the Police Service of Northern Ireland
to deal with any potential instances of public disorder. According to Scotland Yard
, dissident Irish republicans issued a bomb threat regarding London
on the eve of the visit. It was the first coded warning issued outside Northern Ireland
in a decade, and the threat was made from an Irish telephone number. However, the threat did not change the Irish terrorism threat level in Britain, which remained at "substantial". There was also a terror alert in Dublin on the eve of the visit. A pipe bomb
was found on a Dublin-bound bus in Maynooth
, County Kildare
, and made safe after a warning call was made to the Gardaí. A second suspect package was found in Dublin on the first day of the visit, but was declared a hoax after being examined. On 17 May, bomb scares were reported in Inchicore
and the northside Dublin suburb of Fairview
.
(RTÉ) and TV3, which both extended their normal programming. RTÉ broadcast the events on television, radio and the internet
. The Queen and Us, a special documentary
by Tommie Gorman
, was broadcast on the night of 17 May at the end of the first day of the visit.
The visit was marked with the broadcast of several documentaries, including:
The BBC, Sky News
, CNN
, France 24
, Xinhua News Agency
and ITAR-TASS were among the foreign media to cover events. Nearly 12,000 newspaper articles were produced and nearly 1,400 news clips were shown on televisions internationally.
For the three nights of her visit, the Queen stayed at Farmleigh
in the Phoenix Park
. Farmleigh House is the official Irish State Guest House.
The British delegation was just 10 in total.
with the Duke of Edinburgh
. She landed on schedule, "almost exactly at noon". Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore
was there to greet her and her party when they got off the plane. The Queen wore a Stewart Parvin jade green dress and coat accompanied by a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat, and a young Shankill
girl named Rachel Fox gave her a bouquet of flowers.
Following her arrival, she was driven to Áras an Uachtaráin
, the residence of the President of Ireland
in the Phoenix Park
, where she was welcomed by President McAleese and her husband, Martin
. The Queen and Prince Philip then signed the guestbook. While there, she also inspected a guard of honour during a 21-gun salute
. Before lunch at the Áras, she planted an oak tree beside the Peace Bell in the garden.
After changing clothes, she travelled to the Garden of Remembrance
where she was greeted by the Minister for Justice and Defence
, Alan Shatter
. She and President McAleese each laid a wreath, and the Queen bowed to honour those who died for Irish freedom. She departed for Trinity College Library
, where she viewed the ninth century Book of Kells
, the 15th century Trinity College Harp
, and shook hands with many academics. She then retired to Farmleigh for a private evening.
She was scheduled to be at Áras an Uachtaráin at 12:30, the Garden of Remembrance at 15:15 and Trinity College at 15:40.
, the Government Buildings
, and the National War Memorial Gardens
where she also laid a wreath, before having a private lunch at Farmleigh
. Among those who were invited to attend the National War Memorial ceremony were leaders of the Ulster Defence Association
which caused some controversy.
Queen Elizabeth also visited the Croke Park
sports stadium, which was the site of the shooting of football spectators by British forces
in 1920. Some Gaelic Athletic Association
officials were reported to have declined to attend the Croke Park event, although Christy Cooney
, president of the GAA, was on hand to welcome the Queen, saying "Your Majesty, on behalf of the members of the Gaelic Athletic Association throughout Ireland and across the world, I am delighted to welcome you to our headquarters at Croke Park". While there the Queen was introduced to four inter-county gaelic football
and hurling
players, and then presented with an original Offaly hurley.
, where President McAleese made a speech and toasted her guest, followed by a major speech by the Queen on relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom. The content of the speech, which was written by the Queen and her deputy private secretary - drew widespread praise from the Irish media and from politicians, including Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams
. The Queen began her speech by speaking in Irish
: “A Uachtaráin, agus a chairde” she said — “President and friends” which caused President McAleese to turn to others at the table and say "Wow" three times. In her speech she noted the progress made in terms of the Northern Ireland peace process
stating "What were once only hopes for the future have now come to pass; it is almost exactly 13 years since the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the agreement signed on Good Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Ireland to become the exciting and inspirational place that it is today."
in Tully
, County Kildare
for about half an hour. Afterwards, she visited the Aga Khan
's Gilltown stud south of Kilcullen
in County Kildare. She lunched with the Aga Khan, his family, and other guests. In the evening, she attended the National Convention Centre in Dublin for a British Embassy party, at which the Queen hosted the President. The best of Irish and British fashion were on show, and there was a 45-minute concert including performances by The Chieftains
, Westlife
, and Riverdance
, compered
by veteran broadcaster
Gay Byrne
. The British Ambassador Julian King
announced that "The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, together with President McAleese and two thousand invited guests from across Ireland, will experience the best of Irish music, dance, theatre and fashion in a unique event to mark the visit." The Queen was greeted by long applause and a standing ovation after she made her way onto the stage at the end of the concert.
in Cashel
, South Tipperary
, on her way to Cork
, where the Sinn Féin
Mayor of Cashel, Michael Browne, welcomed her and shook her hand.
After Cashel, she visited Coolmore Stud
, the world's largest horse-breeding operation, in Fethard, County Tipperary. She has sent mares to be bred at the stud over the years. Following a tour of the facility, she dined with John Magnier
and horse-racing industry notables, as well as other guests who have not been identified.
While in Cork, the Queen visited the city's English Market on Princes Street after which she went on an unscheduled walkabout along the Grand Parade before going to the Tyndall Institute, a research centre which is part of University College Cork. She left the country from Cork Airport in the late afternoon.
(IAWM) held a peaceful protest against the royal visit at 18:30 on 17 May at the General Post Office
(GPO) on O'Connell Street
, Dublin, featuring former British soldiers and relatives of one British soldier killed in Afghanistan. Around 100 people attended including Richard Boyd Barrett
, TD
. A protest and wreath laying ceremony by the socialist Republican
party Éirígí
on Dublin's Moore Street
passed off peacefully. A protest by Republican Sinn Féin
and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement
on the corner of Dorset Street and Hardwicke Street led to jostling with the Gardaí, and some balloons were released into the air.
On 18 May, a small protest organised by Republican Sinn Féin passed off peacefully near Croke Park
during the Queen's visit to the stadium. During the Queen's visit to Dublin Castle
protests near Christ Church Cathedral
organised by many groups including Republican Sinn Féin, Éirígí, 32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Irish Republican Socialist Party
attracted a large turnout. Fireworks
and Bangers
were thrown at Garda Síochána
, 8 people were arrested.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
made a state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
to the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
from 17 May to 20 May 2011, at the invitation of the President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
.
It was the first visit by a British monarch to the area that is now the Republic of Ireland since the 1911 tour by Elizabeth's grandfather King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, when the country was still part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
.
The intervening period saw the 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic during the unsuccessful Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
against British rule in Ireland
Dublin Castle administration in Ireland
The Dublin Castle administration in Ireland was the government of Ireland under English and later British rule, from the twelfth century until 1922, based at Dublin Castle.-Head:...
. A military conflict from January 1919 led ultimately to the partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
in December 1922. Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
remained part of the United Kingdom, while the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
(renamed Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
in 1937) became a self-governing and then fully independent Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
within the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. In 1949, the Irish state withdrew from the Commonwealth and abolished its last links to the monarchy on the formal declaration of the Republic of Ireland.
While the visit was notable for being the first by the Queen to the republic, she had been visited in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by President Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
in May 1993 and then several times by President McAleese since 1997.
The visit was seen as a symbolic normalisation of British–Irish relations following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
, which settled most outstanding territorial disputes between the states, including the abandonment by the Republic of its territorial claim to Northern Ireland, thereby removing a major obstacle to a royal visit. Arrangements for the visit included the largest security operation in the history of the Republic of Ireland. During the visit, the Queen visited sites of republican significance in Dublin, such as the Garden of Remembrance
Garden of Remembrance (Dublin)
The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to the memory of "all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom"...
and Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
, scene of the 1920 Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1920)
Bloody Sunday was a day of violence in Dublin on 21 November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In total, 31 people were killed – fourteen British, fourteen Irish civilians and three republican prisoners....
massacre. She also delivered a widely praised speech on the history of relations between the two countries.
The visit was criticised by republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
and socialist groups. Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, the United Left Alliance
United Left Alliance
The United Left Alliance is an electoral alliance of left-wing political parties and independent politicians in the Republic of Ireland, formed to contest the 2011 general election...
, some independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
TDs
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
and several smaller republican and socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
groups were outspoken against the visit, with protests organised at locations of the Queen's itinerary.
Visit announced
The Queen's visit was formally announced by both Buckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
simultaneously on 4 March 2011. The Queen's announcement read simply:
The announcenment came as no great surprise in so far as the visit had been signalled by both Governments as likely. The United Kingdom Ambassador to Ireland, David Reddaway, as early as 2009 had described a visit by the Queen as "imminent".
Background
The Queen's visit came one hundred years after the last visit by a British monarch, when her grandfather, King George V, visited Dún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
(then Kingstown), Dublin, Leopardstown
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
, and Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
on 8–12 July 1911, as part of his accession tour.
The Royal visit occurred a few days before a planned visit by US President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
The visit drew comparisons to Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
's uncle, Lord Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
's 1979 visit, when he was killed by an Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
bombing. Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
Mayor Matt Lyons said that the local tourist industry was still recovering from the bombing: "Mullaghmore attracted a lot of English people prior to Lord Mountbatten's murder. It took years and years for that to recover and it hasn't really recovered."
The Queen's eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, attended a dinner at Dublin Castle with Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
John Bruton
John Bruton
John Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
in 1995. Anne, Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
also visited the republic between 1995 and 2010. On 19 March 2004 Prince Charles made a private visit to Lismore Castle
Lismore Castle
Lismore Castle is located in the town of Lismore, in County Waterford in Ireland. It was largely re-built in the Gothic style during the mid-nineteenth century by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire.-Early history:...
in County Waterford, for the 60th birthday of Lord Hartington
Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire
Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, KCVO, CBE , is a British peer. He is the only surviving son of the 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, the former Deborah Mitford. He succeeded to the dukedom following the death of his father on 3 May 2004...
.
Anne, Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
made several visits to Ireland. On one visit on 17 February 2004, she met Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
, then went to the Army Equitation School at McKee Barracks, and an award presentation at the Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield, Dublin
Smithfield, Dublin
Smithfield is an area on the northside of Dublin. Its focal point is a public square, formerly an open market, now officially called Smithfield Plaza, but known locally as Smithfield Square or Smithfield Market....
.
On 22 September 2001, Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, attended a ceremony at Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
in County Cork to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Battle of Kinsale
Siege of Kinsale
The Siege or Battle of Kinsale was the ultimate battle in England's conquest of Gaelic Ireland. It took place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, at the climax of the Nine Years War - a campaign by Aodh Mór Ó Néill, Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill and other Irish clan leaders against English rule...
. On 5 February 2007, Prince Andrew visited Dublin to promote trade links, meeting Mary McAleese and Bertie Ahern. He met John Hurley, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, visited wind farm company Airtricity
Airtricity
Airtricity was founded in 1997 in the Republic of Ireland and now is a renewable energy company owned by Scottish and Southern Energy...
, and attended a dinner hosted by David Reddaway
David Reddaway
David Norman Reddaway, CMG, MBE is the British ambassador to Turkey.-Biography:Before his appointment to Turkey in 2009, he was the British ambassador to Ireland....
, the British ambassador.
In January 1996, just before one of his sister's visits, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
, visited Dublin to present the Gaisce Gold Awards. On 27 August 1999, Prince Edward visited Dublin Castle with his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, for the world conference of the International Award Association
International Award Association
In 1988, representatives of the Award Programme worldwide founded The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association ....
, and met Mary McAleese. It was the couple's first trip abroad since their marriage in June 1998.
When the Queen met Mary Robinson in 1993, this was the first meeting between an Irish head of state and a British Sovereign. The Duke of Edinburgh visited Dublin on 10 November 1998, his first visit to the Republic of Ireland. He arrived by RAF helicopter at Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
, and launched the Millenium Gold Encounter for Ireland's Gaisce – The President's Award. Prince Philip also visited Dublin on 26 April 2006, again for the Gaisce Awards and met Bertie Ahern.
Ireland
TaoiseachTaoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
linked the visit to the Good Friday Agreement being put into full effect. The Queen was welcomed by Irish President Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
. The First Minister
First Minister and deputy First Minister
The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
and Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
leader Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
said the visit was "a sign of the normalisation of relations between our two countries", while the leader of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
, said he did not "think this is the right time for the English Queen" to visit. He further described the timing of the visit, which was to occur on the anniversay of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
as "particularly insensitive". McAleese said it was "absolutely the right moment", and described the visit as "an extraordinary moment in Irish history". An opinion poll conducted shortly before the visit showed that it had the support of 77% of the Irish people. Adams later expressed a more conciliatory tone toward the visit: “I want to see a real and meaningfully new and better relationship between the peoples of Ireland and Britain.... The visit by the Queen of England provides a unique opportunity for the British establishment to make it clear that this is its intention also." Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
, the Sinn Féin deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, declined invitations to attend ceremonies at the Garden of Remembrance and the National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge, saying the royal visit was "premature".
However, the cost of the visit was a cause for concern for some. Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Party is a socialist political party active in Ireland. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International .Formerly known as Militant Tendency, then Militant Labour, it adopted the name The Socialist Party in 1996. From their foundation in 1972 until the 1980s, members of...
TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins is an Irish Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007...
asked in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
if "the queen of England might be politely asked to contribute to the cost of her bed & breakfast during her visit to Ireland," observing that "the Irish people needed the financial help since they could soon be – metaphorically speaking – sleeping rough
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, as the country faced bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
to pay off the debts of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
banks which had recklessly gambled and lost in the Irish property bubble
Irish property bubble
The property bubble in the Republic of Ireland began in 2000 and peaked in 2006, as with many other western European countries, with a combination of increased speculative construction and rapidly rising prices....
". According to Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
TD, the total cost of the visit was approximately €30 million (US$42 million, GB ₤26 million).
United Kingdom
British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
described the visit as "a huge step forward" for diplomatic relations between the two countries, while former prime minister Sir John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
also rejected Gerry Adams' criticism that the visit was premature, saying that the visit put "a seal on the past and builds for the future", and that there had not been "anything of equivalent significance in the last few decades".
Security
The Queen's visit led to a number of threats of violence being issued. Two water cannonWater cannon
A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of metres / hundreds of feet. They are used in firefighting and riot control. Most water cannon fall under the category of a fire...
were borrowed by the Gardaí from the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
to deal with any potential instances of public disorder. According to Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
, dissident Irish republicans issued a bomb threat regarding London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on the eve of the visit. It was the first coded warning issued outside Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in a decade, and the threat was made from an Irish telephone number. However, the threat did not change the Irish terrorism threat level in Britain, which remained at "substantial". There was also a terror alert in Dublin on the eve of the visit. A pipe bomb
Pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
was found on a Dublin-bound bus in Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and made safe after a warning call was made to the Gardaí. A second suspect package was found in Dublin on the first day of the visit, but was declared a hoax after being examined. On 17 May, bomb scares were reported in Inchicore
Inchicore
-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
and the northside Dublin suburb of Fairview
Fairview, Dublin
Fairview is a coastal district on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland, in the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council. Part of the area forms Fairview Park, on land reclaimed from the sea.-Location and access:...
.
Media coverage
The visit was covered extensively by Raidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) and TV3, which both extended their normal programming. RTÉ broadcast the events on television, radio and the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The Queen and Us, a special documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
by Tommie Gorman
Tommie Gorman
Tommie Gorman is an Irish journalist. He has worked for RTÉ News and Current Affairs since 1980. He is currently the Northern Ireland editor for RTÉ....
, was broadcast on the night of 17 May at the end of the first day of the visit.
The visit was marked with the broadcast of several documentaries, including:
- Forbidden Love: The Royals, narrated by Rosaleen LinehanRosaleen LinehanRosaleen Linehan is an Irish stage, screen and television actress.She has appeared in many comedy revues written by her husband Fergus...
on RTÉ - The Queen and Us, presented by Tommie GormanTommie GormanTommie Gorman is an Irish journalist. He has worked for RTÉ News and Current Affairs since 1980. He is currently the Northern Ireland editor for RTÉ....
on RTÉ - The Queen in Ireland, a BBC news special
The BBC, Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, France 24
France 24
France 24 is an international news and current affairs television channel. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW-TV, NHK World and RT, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. During 2010 the channel started broadcasting through...
, Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
and ITAR-TASS were among the foreign media to cover events. Nearly 12,000 newspaper articles were produced and nearly 1,400 news clips were shown on televisions internationally.
Itinerary
Though the Queen made several public appearances, onlookers remained at a distance behind security barriers most of the time. On the final day of her visit, she greeted members of the public on a short walkabout on a street in Cork. Earlier, she met with some members of the public who were carefully selected in advance.For the three nights of her visit, the Queen stayed at Farmleigh
Farmleigh
Farmleigh is the official Irish State guest house. It was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness family. It is situated on an elevated position above the River Liffey to the north-west of the Phoenix Park...
in the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
. Farmleigh House is the official Irish State Guest House.
The British delegation was just 10 in total.
Day 1 (17 May)
The Queen arrived in Ireland, flying into Casement AerodromeCasement Aerodrome
Casement Aerodrome or Baldonnel Aerodrome is a military airbase to the south west of Dublin, Ireland situated off the N7 main road route to the south and south west. It is the headquarters and the sole base of the Irish Air Corps, and is also used for other government purposes...
with the Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
. She landed on schedule, "almost exactly at noon". Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and...
was there to greet her and her party when they got off the plane. The Queen wore a Stewart Parvin jade green dress and coat accompanied by a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat, and a young Shankill
Shankill, Dublin
Shankill is a suburb in the South-East of Dublin located in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County, Ireland. It has a population of 13,242 .-History:-Name:...
girl named Rachel Fox gave her a bouquet of flowers.
Following her arrival, she was driven to Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
, the residence of the President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
in the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
, where she was welcomed by President McAleese and her husband, Martin
Martin McAleese
Martin McAleese is a member of Seanad Éireann and the husband of the former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.-Early life and education:He played with the Antrim Minors and was captain of the team in 1969. He trained and worked as an accountant and then qualified as a dentist.He practiced as a...
. The Queen and Prince Philip then signed the guestbook. While there, she also inspected a guard of honour during a 21-gun salute
21-gun salute
Gun salutes are the firing of cannons or firearms as a military or naval honor.The custom stems from naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent...
. Before lunch at the Áras, she planted an oak tree beside the Peace Bell in the garden.
After changing clothes, she travelled to the Garden of Remembrance
Garden of Remembrance (Dublin)
The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to the memory of "all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom"...
where she was greeted by the Minister for Justice and Defence
Minister for Defence (Ireland)
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....
, Alan Shatter
Alan Shatter
Alan Joseph Shatter is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South constituency and has been the Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence since March 2011.-Background and early life:...
. She and President McAleese each laid a wreath, and the Queen bowed to honour those who died for Irish freedom. She departed for Trinity College Library
Trinity College Library, Dublin
Trinity College Library Dublin, the centrally-administered library of Trinity College, Dublin, is the largest library in Ireland. As a "copyright library", it has legal deposit rights for material published in the Republic of Ireland; it is also the only Irish library to hold such rights for the...
, where she viewed the ninth century Book of Kells
Book of Kells
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables. It was created by Celtic monks ca. 800 or slightly earlier...
, the 15th century Trinity College Harp
Trinity College Harp
The Trinity College harp is a medieval musical instrument currently displayed in the long room at Trinity College Dublin. It is an early Irish harp or wire strung cláirseach...
, and shook hands with many academics. She then retired to Farmleigh for a private evening.
She was scheduled to be at Áras an Uachtaráin at 12:30, the Garden of Remembrance at 15:15 and Trinity College at 15:40.
Day 2 (18 May)
The Queen visited the Guinness StorehouseGuinness Storehouse
The Guinness Storehouse is a Guinness-themed tourist attraction located at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Republic of Ireland...
, the Government Buildings
Government Buildings
Government Buildings is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the government of Ireland are located...
, and the National War Memorial Gardens
Irish National War Memorial Gardens
The Irish National War Memorial Gardens is an Irish war memorial in Islandbridge, Dublin dedicated "to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914–1918", out of over 300,000 Irishmen who served in all armies....
where she also laid a wreath, before having a private lunch at Farmleigh
Farmleigh
Farmleigh is the official Irish State guest house. It was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness family. It is situated on an elevated position above the River Liffey to the north-west of the Phoenix Park...
. Among those who were invited to attend the National War Memorial ceremony were leaders of the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
which caused some controversy.
Queen Elizabeth also visited the Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
sports stadium, which was the site of the shooting of football spectators by British forces
Bloody Sunday (1920)
Bloody Sunday was a day of violence in Dublin on 21 November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In total, 31 people were killed – fourteen British, fourteen Irish civilians and three republican prisoners....
in 1920. Some Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
officials were reported to have declined to attend the Croke Park event, although Christy Cooney
Christy Cooney
Christy Cooney is the current President of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
, president of the GAA, was on hand to welcome the Queen, saying "Your Majesty, on behalf of the members of the Gaelic Athletic Association throughout Ireland and across the world, I am delighted to welcome you to our headquarters at Croke Park". While there the Queen was introduced to four inter-county gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
players, and then presented with an original Offaly hurley.
The Queen's speech
A state dinner in her honour followed at Dublin CastleDublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
, where President McAleese made a speech and toasted her guest, followed by a major speech by the Queen on relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom. The content of the speech, which was written by the Queen and her deputy private secretary - drew widespread praise from the Irish media and from politicians, including Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
. The Queen began her speech by speaking in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
: “A Uachtaráin, agus a chairde” she said — “President and friends” which caused President McAleese to turn to others at the table and say "Wow" three times. In her speech she noted the progress made in terms of the Northern Ireland peace process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
stating "What were once only hopes for the future have now come to pass; it is almost exactly 13 years since the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the agreement signed on Good Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Ireland to become the exciting and inspirational place that it is today."
Day 3 (19 May)
The Queen toured the Irish National StudIrish National Stud
The Irish National Stud is a Thoroughbred horse breeding facility based at Tully, Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland...
in Tully
Tully
Tully is a surname of Irish origin. The surname itself and its variants include; Tally, MacTully, Tilly and Flood, all of which can derive from several different unrelated Irish families such as; Ó Maoltuile, Taithligh, Mac Maoltuile, Ó Taithligh, and Mac an Tuile...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
for about half an hour. Afterwards, she visited the Aga Khan
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
's Gilltown stud south of Kilcullen
Kilcullen
Kilcullen , formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 2,985 makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002...
in County Kildare. She lunched with the Aga Khan, his family, and other guests. In the evening, she attended the National Convention Centre in Dublin for a British Embassy party, at which the Queen hosted the President. The best of Irish and British fashion were on show, and there was a 45-minute concert including performances by The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
, Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
, and Riverdance
Riverdance
Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
, compered
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
by veteran broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
Gay Byrne
Gay Byrne
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
. The British Ambassador Julian King
Julian King (diplomat)
Julian Beresford King, CMG , is the British Ambassador to Ireland, appointed in September 2009, succeeding David Reddaway....
announced that "The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, together with President McAleese and two thousand invited guests from across Ireland, will experience the best of Irish music, dance, theatre and fashion in a unique event to mark the visit." The Queen was greeted by long applause and a standing ovation after she made her way onto the stage at the end of the concert.
Day 4 (20 May)
The Queen visited the Rock of CashelRock of Cashel
The Rock of Cashel , also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick's Rock, is a historic site in Ireland's province of Munster, located at Cashel, South Tipperary.-History:...
in Cashel
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
, South Tipperary
South Tipperary
South Tipperary is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Munster. It is named after the town of Tipperary and consists of 52% of the land area of the traditional county of Tipperary. The county was established in 1898 and has had a county...
, on her way to Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, where the Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
Mayor of Cashel, Michael Browne, welcomed her and shook her hand.
After Cashel, she visited Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....
, the world's largest horse-breeding operation, in Fethard, County Tipperary. She has sent mares to be bred at the stud over the years. Following a tour of the facility, she dined with John Magnier
John Magnier
John Magnier is Ireland's leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside of the horse breeding industry....
and horse-racing industry notables, as well as other guests who have not been identified.
While in Cork, the Queen visited the city's English Market on Princes Street after which she went on an unscheduled walkabout along the Grand Parade before going to the Tyndall Institute, a research centre which is part of University College Cork. She left the country from Cork Airport in the late afternoon.
Protests
The Irish Anti-War MovementIrish Anti-War Movement
The Irish Anti-War Movement is an organisation which campaigns against wars around the world. Recent campaigns have been against wars such as the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Gaza War, and most prominently in recent years against the Iraq War and the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.The...
(IAWM) held a peaceful protest against the royal visit at 18:30 on 17 May at the General Post Office
General Post Office (Dublin)
The General Post Office ' in Dublin is the headquarters of the Irish postal service, An Post, and Dublin's principal post office...
(GPO) on O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
, Dublin, featuring former British soldiers and relatives of one British soldier killed in Afghanistan. Around 100 people attended including Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
, TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
. A protest and wreath laying ceremony by the socialist Republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
party Éirígí
Éirígí
-External links:*...
on Dublin's Moore Street
Moore Street
Moore Street is a street in central Dublin, Ireland, off Henry Street, one of Ireland's main shopping streets. The famous Moore Street open air fruit and vegetable market is Dublin's oldest food market....
passed off peacefully. A protest by Republican Sinn Féin
Republican Sinn Féin
Republican Sinn Féin or RSF is an unregisteredAlthough an active movement, RSF is not registered as a political party in either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. minor political party operating in Ireland. It emerged in 1986 as a result of a split in Sinn Féin...
and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement
32 County Sovereignty Movement
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement, often abbreviated to 32CSM or 32csm, is an Irish republican political organisation.The 32CSM's objectives are:* "The restoration of Irish national sovereignty"....
on the corner of Dorset Street and Hardwicke Street led to jostling with the Gardaí, and some balloons were released into the air.
On 18 May, a small protest organised by Republican Sinn Féin passed off peacefully near Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
during the Queen's visit to the stadium. During the Queen's visit to Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
protests near Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
organised by many groups including Republican Sinn Féin, Éirígí, 32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Irish Republican Socialist Party
Irish Republican Socialist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party or IRSP is a republican socialist party active in Ireland. It claims the legacy of socialist revolutionary James Connolly, who founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party in 1896 and was executed after the Easter Rising of 1916.- History :The Irish Republican...
attracted a large turnout. Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and Bangers
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
were thrown at Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
, 8 people were arrested.