The Queen woke to find herself an unlikely star in the Irish Republic on Thursday last, almost universally praised for her gestures of reconciliation during the first official visit by a British monarch in 100 years.
Stephen Bates and Henry McDonald reported in “The Guardian” :
Her words and bearing have astonished and delighted many. Both the Queen’s speech at the state dinner in Dublin Castle and her silent tribute at the national garden of remembrance to those killed fighting the British for Irish independence at the start of her visit on Tuesday have been well received. There has even been speculation that her visit may outshine Barack Obama’s next week.
Eamon Gilmore, the tánaiste (Ireland’s deputy prime minister) and foreign minister, told the Guardian: “The visit has gone very, very well and has been great for the country.”
The broadcaster RTÉ said 500,000 viewers watched its coverage of the Queen planting a tree at the presidential residence on Tuesday, and other channels also covered the occasion.
Even her few words of Gaelic at the start of her speech at the state dinner on Wednesday evening – “A Úachtárain agus a chairde” (“president and friends”, immaculately pronounced) – were an unexpected gesture. Mary McAleese, the Irish president, who was sitting beside the Queen, turned to others at the table open-mouthed, exclaiming “wow”.
In a speech at a state dinner at Dublin Castle, the Queen speaks of ‘sad and regrettable history.
The speech, with its apology for “things we wish had been done differently or not at all”, was greeted across the Irish political spectrum with near universal praise.
Her words, calling for forbearance and conciliation and the loosening of the knots of history, striving to create a more harmonious relationship “close as good neighbours should always be”, led all the Irish papers.
All were full of praise for the address, which was delivered in front of dignitaries from both sides of the Irish border, including the taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Unionist first minister of Northern Ireland Peter Robinson, religious leaders including Cardinal Seán Brady, the Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, Irish rugby star Brian O’Driscoll and various Irish former prime ministers. They gave the Queen rapturous applause and a standing ovation.
Some Sinn Féin politicians pronounced themselves “underwhelmed” – and found themselves roundly attacked.
The television interviewer Vincent Browne asked the parliamentarian Aengus Ó Snodaigh: “So when did the IRA ever apologise?”
The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, however, united with David Cameron to praise the Queen’s historic address. “I believe that her expression of sincere sympathy for those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past is genuine,” he said.
His party has been criticised for refusing to meet the Queen.
More at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/19/queen-ireland-visit-respect-adams
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