The Queen of England is to publicly thank the people of Ireland for the Cead Mile Failte welcome they accorded her last May.
The British monarch will acknowledge the warm of her reception on a first ever visit to the country in her annual Christmas speech.
The Sunday Independent newspaper reports that tens of thousands of Irish viewers are expected to tune into the traditional Queen’s Speech, televised on British stations on Christmas day.
The paper also quotes senior aides of the Queen who have confirmed that she will make extensive references to her Irish tour, the first by any British monarch in over a century.
Queen Elizabeth will recount her four day visit which included stops in Dublin, Kildare, Tipperary and Cork.
She has already written to the Lord Mayor of Cork and thanked him for a reception she described as "deeply moving" according to the paper.
According to the Independent, the Queen has privately stated that her Ireland trip was "one of the highlights" of her long reign.
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Now, in her 59th annual address to the British nation, the Queen will formally thank the Irish people for her welcome according to informed sources.
“The Queen always plays a central role in picking the broadcast’s themes and viewers can expect the most upbeat speech in decades, in which she would fondly look back at her visit to Ireland,” said the source.
“It’s been the best year in living memory for the royal family, with two royal weddings, Prince Philip’s 90th birthday and not least, the historic visit to Ireland.
“It’s no secret that the visit to Ireland meant a huge deal to her and she wants to use the speech to reflect on it publicly.”
Irish tourist industry bosses expect the Queen’s endorsement will boost visitor numbers from Britain significantly next year.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelbourne | Dec 28, 2011, 09:19 PM EST
You keep repeating puerile nonsense re. the allocation of Oz taxes
ciaradexy | Dec 25, 2011, 10:58 AM EST
You pay taxes in a commonwealth country of which the Queen is the head of state therefore any taxes collected there contribute towards her wealth. Cheers for the apology but I dont take offence from people I dont know anyway so no worries there.
seanomelbourne | Dec 25, 2011, 02:51 AM EST
Ciara how do I pay the queens wages and what method is it paid if not a tax Dan is correct Calling you a moron was a little bit mean spirited have a nice Christmas.
ciaradexy | Dec 23, 2011, 08:02 PM EST
Sean, unless you're in Australia illegally then you ARE paying the Queens wage and I didn't even mention you paying taxes to the British! What are you working at there? It obviously doesn't require you to be able to read and process information, luckily for Australia. By the way, I was working in a hospital in North Sydney in 1999 as a medical scientist and no I didn't over stay my visa.
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 23, 2011, 06:30 PM EST
You make the common error of your kind, in expecting and demanding respect for you and yours, but not being prepared to give it…Your Head of State is as entitled to as much respect as any other…Parity of esteem it’s called, look it up…and have a Happy New Year!!
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 23, 2011, 06:29 PM EST
Seano, maybe you think calling someone a ‘moron’ and ‘darling little pretentious sucks’ is OK?
seanomelbourne | Dec 23, 2011, 04:25 PM EST
Not arrogance at all Dan Lynch as long as the majority of Australians wish her to be Head of state I will grudgingly accept the fact,But I do not have to like it.As you may not like Sinn Fein TD's you will have to accept the will of the electorate even if you don't like.Nothing escapes me Dan Lynch.Get down off that high horse your sounding a bit dizzy Happy Xmas
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 22, 2011, 06:58 PM EST
seanomelbourne - How arrogant you sound...BUT you can't escape the fact that QE2 is your Head of State...you don't like it....that's obvious.
seanomelbourne | Dec 22, 2011, 05:49 AM EST
Your full of it ciara you live in the pits of Dublin making excuses for your grovelling pommy attitude.We do not pay any Taxes to the brits you moron. AS far as Australia is concerned you were probably a tourist visa overstayer working in some Quasi Irish bar dodging the immigration police.Btw I would'nt give her the steam off my P--s and I owe her nothing,she never interviewed me for a job and that would've been hard as I have my own business and I hire darling little pretentious sucks like you.
ciaradexy | Dec 21, 2011, 01:55 PM EST
The queen is on the coins in Australia and it is not a republic. She is the head of state there so you do pay her wage! Ive lived in Australia so I am not oblivious to the Australian way. By the way, Im from Tallaght and I still live in Dublin so maybe you should have some respect for the head of the country who gave you a job instead of being a bigoted idiot.
seanomelbourne | Dec 20, 2011, 08:07 PM EST
Your easily pleased ciara.I hate to disappoint you I do not follow british football nor would I insult my intregity by waving to betsy.We do not pay the Queens wages in Australia another ignorant retort from your limited knowledge.BTW i am Dublin born and bred my west brit pal.
ciaradexy | Dec 20, 2011, 03:39 PM EST
Seanomelbourne, seriously get a grip. Are you actually in melbourne or is that your surname?If youre there, youre obviously quite happy to pay her wage! Last thing Ireland needs is some sap spouting nonsense like that. Im sure youre quite happy to watch British films and follow British football teams. Get over yourself. There was a recent poll taken in the North and the majority were happy to stay as part of the UK, that included both sides of the divide. Thats good enough for me.
seanomelbourne | Dec 19, 2011, 05:58 PM EST
Ciaradexy I am so glad you are proud of your wave to the commander in chief of the British forces in tthe north of Ireland how sad.
ciaradexy | Dec 19, 2011, 05:04 PM EST
Ah George Dillon, the most plastic of Paddys. I do not owe the EU or banks a cent. We will default on this EU/IMF loan and we will end up having an emergency election. ULA will be elected and they will tell the EU to go f#*k itself! We will finally have a government who gives a damn. Your governemt tells the world that you are a nation of war loving bigots but is that actually true, I dont think so, so why would you think that what my government says has any merit? Why are you on this website? You obviously have no affiliation or love for ireland or the Irish so why post? Are you so bitter that you need to be on here trying to insult a nation who who really know nothing about. Did your granny have a redsetter? Is that the link? Go away you pathetic little man but before you do, please quit the Irish slagging words such as ''dopes'', you dont even know what the word means!
GeorgeDillon | Dec 19, 2011, 03:54 PM EST
ciaradexy: "As for the debt issue, I think youll find its bank debt. The average irish person did not cause this". This is the lunacy that the Irish are now peddling. No, ciaradexy, IT IS YOUR DEBT. You Irish owe this money--it was your own government which said you do. You and your children will be paying this for the rest of the twenty-first century. Wake up, you dope ciaradexy, you're the poorest people in Europe, I think I read that every single Irish man woman and child owes about 200 thousand dollars. Maybe you're in luck, you dopes, maybe I got it wrong--it was only one hundred thousand! The old Irish phrase of beggars on horseback has come back--that's what you are. Soon you'all be on bicycles! You don't deserve any better--idiots don't merit respect or compassion.
ciaradexy | Dec 19, 2011, 12:23 PM EST
Well said Peterson. I was lucky enough to get a wave when I was walking into town that day and a friend of mine met her in college. He said she was lovely. Reminded him of his granny! The protesting idiots with anti British placards wearing the british football teams jerseys needed a slap.
peterson | Dec 19, 2011, 11:44 AM EST
She is a real classy LADY. The British needs more people like her !!
IrelandNorth | Dec 19, 2011, 06:39 AM EST
"A Uachtaran agus a chairde! As a mark of One's gratitude, I hereby instruct my loyal and faithful subjects of Ulster to come to their senses and rejoin a united Ireland. It would give me great pleasure. I also grant peerages to Martin McGuinness/Lord Bogside & Gerry Adams/Lord Ardoyne.
ciaradexy | Dec 18, 2011, 05:24 PM EST
Sparklet, get over it. Does it even affect you?
Sparklet | Dec 18, 2011, 05:22 PM EST
The wrongs of the past can't be put right overnight. The woman is being polite.
ciaradexy | Dec 18, 2011, 04:39 PM EST
GeorgeDillon, Murph46 and Jamcelt- i was delighted to see her in ireland and to see the welcome she got. As for the debt issue, I think youll find its bank debt. The average irish person did not cause this, it was caused by French and german holders of unsecured bonds being paid when they should not have been so the debt is not the average paddys. Very different to US debt which is caused by paying an army to fight an illegal immoral war instead of paying for kids to go to school and for people to be treated in hospitals.
SeamusMor | Dec 18, 2011, 04:11 PM EST
So the head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha will say "Danka Schoen" to the Irish! We answer "Aufedersein!" to Her Majesty,the German bankers, and the bondholders.
newnation | Dec 18, 2011, 03:25 PM EST
Oh yeah I had forgotten about that referendum that went before the Irish people where we all decided to save the disgusting capitalist system from your country. sirpeter has had to point out to you that you live in the most indebted country in the world, how much of that do you owe? if I am an imbecile it fills me with great joy to think of what that makes you.
sirpeter | Dec 18, 2011, 03:07 PM EST
Georgie Boy.How much of that 15 TRILLION DOLLAR AMERICAN debt do you owe?.At least the Irish nation doesn't have to endure you.It would be worth any amount of money to any nation to off load you.
Murph46 | Dec 18, 2011, 02:23 PM EST
newnation who died and made you king of Irish news.I'll match my IQ with yours any time you want.I am here to learn about my ancestral home.
newnation | Dec 18, 2011, 01:19 PM EST
Oh yeah we forgot we had to ask some racist retards from america what our opinion should be murph and dillion, go play in guamtanamo and keep out of the sane part of the worlds affairs.
Jamcelt | Dec 18, 2011, 12:17 PM EST
How would she know anything about the warm welcome the people of Ireland gave her? The ordinary Irishman and woman was kept WELL away from her. And who gives a rat's red ass about her gratitude?
Murph46 | Dec 18, 2011, 11:05 AM EST
Well said!