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Home Page > News > Queen's Irish visit a 'game-changer' says David Cameron

Queen's Irish visit a 'game-changer' says David Cameron

British PM says visit brings relations into new perspective

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, December 29, 2011, 8:08 AM

Updated Thursday, December 29, 2011, 8:08 AM

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Mary McAleese and the Queen at the Convention Centre

Photo by Irish Times

The historic May visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland has been described by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, as a "game-changer" that heralded a new era in Anglo-Irish relations.

In the RTE documentary, “The Queen's Speech” broadcast last night, Cameron said the “strong relationship” between London and Dublin has been further bolstered as a result of the visit.

In May, Queen Elizabeth became the first monarch to visit the Republic in over a century. Her four day visit sparked an unprecedented multi-million security operation.
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The British Prime Minister told RTE, "It's been a game-changer, to use that terrible modern expression.

"What was already a strong relationship, and what was already becoming warmer and more positive because of the settling down of the Northern Irish issue, I think her visit has just put that into a massive new perspective.

"She just warmed the hearts of people, and so this true relationship - that I think had been going on between British people and Irish people for years - has really now been able to flower."

Nster.com

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IrelandNorth | Jan 04, 2012, 08:49 AM EST

It wasn't the first visit of a British monarch to the republic, since there wasn't a republic for King Edward VII to visit in 1911. This whole visit is being hyped to stage manage a political settlement to the partition of Ireland. The UK will now be replaced by some compromise formation between the British-Irish isles in a Commonwealth of Nations.

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seagreen | Dec 31, 2011, 03:02 PM EST

TriciaG28 Nice post....I agree totally

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AMWilson | Dec 31, 2011, 12:33 AM EST

ciara, I'm American, and I think that Irish and Brits get along just fine. Stop generalizing.

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Sparklet | Dec 30, 2011, 11:11 AM EST

HNY to you too, Capt. And many of them.

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CaptainCon | Dec 30, 2011, 10:38 AM EST

Just on the subject of the recent and quite obvious 'charm offensive' by the British establishment including such obviously planted stories on the BBC such as the coverage of those Irishmen who fought with the British Army in World War Two (see 'Most Commented' box top right of this page) you have to ask yourself whether this noticeable propaganda and 'soft messaging' is appearing now. This in my opinion has very little to do with the past between the two islands and very much to do with British analysis of its own strategic risks in the near and middle future. The UK cannot feed its current population level without major imports and Ireland is one of the few nations in Europe which could in fact feed its population and export as well. That fact may be very significant and may become more obvious as time passes. That is what I refer to when I mentioned that similar dynamics exist now in the strategic profile of both islands as existed in the 15th and 16th centuries- arable land and food production.

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CaptainCon | Dec 30, 2011, 10:32 AM EST

Thanks Sparklet for the clarification. Best wishes for the New Year.

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Sparklet | Dec 30, 2011, 10:10 AM EST

I did use a winking smiley, Captain. :) And said that in the first of my posts I'd used your name in error.

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ciaradexy | Dec 30, 2011, 09:47 AM EST

Agreed TriciaG28. I went to a few of the rugby matches and people were very respectful to each other and that was both sides. It was also quite moving. The Irish and the Brits get on very well, regardless of what Americans think. Ive a mate in Trinity (an ordinary paddy)who met her when she was over. The only anti British people I saw around during her visit were the crowd of about 30 people in tracksuits wearing British football team jerseys around Christchurch when she was in Dublin Castle. I think the irony was lost on them. I dont think they even realised that the loan her country had given their was going to be paying their dole.

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TriciaG28 | Dec 30, 2011, 09:23 AM EST

@SeamusMor - Complete and utter crap. The vast majority of the "ordinary" people here in Ireland would certainly not have disgraced themselves by attacking the Queen with eggs and stones. The same way respect was shown when the British National Anthem was played in Croke Park before the Ireland v England rugby game. I live in Ireland and seeing the Queen of England lay a wreath at the Gardens of Rememberance (admittedly, viewed on the television) was one of the most moving things I've ever seen. I honestly never thought it would impact me the way it did. We have to move on. No one is suggesting we forget our history, but we have to leave it in the past or we will continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

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CaptainCon | Dec 30, 2011, 08:34 AM EST

Sparklet you are overreacting and reading in to my post content which is not there. I have no interest whatsoever in rummaging through past injuries and visiting them upon the British of today. My assessment of the reason for Britain's sudden interest in fostering closer relations with the Republic of Ireland is entirely economic and entirely in the here and now. If anything it is an analysis devoid of emotion and based purely on strategic risks and opportunities identifiable to the British establishment considering the challenges facing them and looming food supply issues in the next twenty to thirty years. But play some old songs if you like.

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Sparklet | Dec 30, 2011, 05:43 AM EST

Audrey - the sensible ones amongst us don't. And there are more of those than the others, I really believe that.

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audreybolton | Dec 29, 2011, 06:55 PM EST

Some people can't let the past between Britain and Ireland rest. How long are we are supposed to go on hating each other?

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ancavker | Dec 29, 2011, 03:56 PM EST

There have been media at temps to discredit the men of 1916, and all those engaged in the war of independence for years;nothing new here.

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