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Sinn Fein leader Martin McGuinness says he would meet with the Queen

Historic first for Irish Republican party and monarch when it occurs

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Monday, January 23, 2012, 7:26 AM
Updated Monday, January 23, 2012, 11:25 AM

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Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth
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Martin McGuinness has said that he would be open to meeting the Queen, adding that the Queen's visit to the Irish Republic last May made an impression on him.

If the meeting happens it will mark the first time since the Sinn Fein party was created in 1905 that the leadership has agreed to met with a British monarch.

The Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister attended an event to promote Northern Ireland at St James' Palace in London during the week.

"I've made it clear that the visit of Queen Elizabeth of Britain to the South was something that we looked at with considerable interest," he said, according to the Irish Independent.

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"And I think the fact that she was prepared to recognise the importance of the Irish language; that she was prepared to stand in a very dignified way to honour those patriots who struggled in 1916 to bring about a free and independent 32-county Irish Republic, that made an impact upon me.

"So that's an issue that I will ponder and I wouldn't rule anything out."

Sinn Fein did not take part in any of the main ceremonies when the Queen made her first visit to the Republic last spring.

However, last September, during the Irish presidential election, McGuinness said, that if he were elected president, he would meet all heads of state "without exception."

McGuinness was interviewed for the BBC's Inside Politics programme on Sunday.

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22 Comments

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DanOLoingsigh | Jan 25, 2012, 04:04 PM EST
IrelandNorth - 'recognising that a united Ireland shall be brought about only by peaceful means with the consent of a majority of the people, democratically expressed, in both jurisdictions in the island' So NI is LEGAL unless and until its citizens decide to change things...TIME TO 'BRUSH UP' ON THE CONSTITUTION!!!

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IrelandNorth | Jan 25, 2012, 09:04 AM EST
Paradigm! The IRA kill rate is a infinitesimal fraction of the English, and subsequently British, army. I'm sure Her Army Council could give him a few tips. TomSwinford! The commonalities are due to colonialism, and they do still occupy the north-eastern counties of Ireland illegally. RedBranch! Brush up on your Gaeilge. Tiocfaidh ar la (Chuckie or law!) Seriously though. Fair play to you for trying, BillyBoy! barneyjo! Over 50% of the southern (incl. eastern and western?) electorate couldn't be arsed voting in the recent presidential election. Where does that leave An Uachtaran Micheal D[aniel]. O h'Uiginn? (Un Oughter-on Mee-haul D. Oh Hig-een). Still, as long as She return the title deeds to Ulster (in Fee-simple) that her name sake, (the virgin queen) stole 500 yrs. ago. Or she could lease Ulster back to us on a 999 yrs. lease, like a certain glorified poitin still here in Dublin that brews the devil's buttermilk. Fiar play to ya, Ian! Ya hit da nail righ ton da head with your characteristically descriptive Free-Presbyterian Putiran nomenclature. I'm with ya on that one, Lord Bannside. For now though, arise Sir Bogside.

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TomSwinford | Jan 24, 2012, 08:42 PM EST
Thank you sirpeter. We had a delightful time, far more fun than I had expected, and soooooo relaxing. There is something magical about the sea - maybe because we are mostly H2O ourselves. I agree that there would be some Unionists who could never support such a meeting, equally so on the other side. Yet this would be a logical and very important step in furthering the reconciliation already well under way. It would be good for Sinn Fein and good for both countries, an unspoken apology from a head of state extended to a former enemy and graciously accepted without words. Terrible wrongs admitted and forgiven, without words, in an atmosphere of friendship and respect. Yes, all very political and all very human.

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warrenpoint00 | Jan 24, 2012, 07:22 PM EST
Sure why not Martin, he is an oul politican now and politicans do that sort of thing.A wee lesson to all those though hoping to emulate to Martin,s military career for a united Ireland.D,ont do as I do , do as I say.

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barneyjo | Jan 24, 2012, 05:39 PM EST
@mamaginnty - In Northern Ireland, over the last decade, the percentage of registered voters turning out to vote as been on a downward path. At the last major election for the assembly it was just over 50%; which means that almost 50% of registered voters, didnt bother turning out to cast their ballots. This of course applies to both Nationalist and Unionist voters, but given the fact that the Nationalist vote is smaller, it means that it skews the vote even more. There is a significant community that does not vote thereby skewing the results of elections.

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sirpeter | Jan 24, 2012, 09:59 AM EST
Welcome back TomSwinford.Hope you had a good holiday ;).I'm glad to see your comment is well balanced and is a good assessment of the situation between the two countries.We live in hope that a genuine and mutual on going friendship can develop between this country and England.Both countries must forge ahead and build these bonds of mutual economic and political interests.I'm not sure how the Unionists would take this meeting though.An IRA man meeting the Queen for a cup of tea and a chat.That could make our Orange buddies very nervous.

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KLennox | Jan 23, 2012, 07:42 PM EST
Be very careful. The English are SO devious, it's what goes on away from public view that is the problem. I DO admire and support Sinn Fein. They've moved toward a political solution and away from armed struggle -- a struggle that was the only solution left to them at the time -- and that's as it should be. But trusting the English for anything is cause for concern. Be alert. I say this as an American of Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestry, who is an absolute Celtic nationalist. As for a united Ireland, I have a feeling it will come when England can't AFFORD to hold on any longer, and through no other events. Time will tell - Tiocfaidh ár Lá!

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mamaginnty | Jan 23, 2012, 07:27 PM EST
Barneyjo, who put Martin where he is now in the north, like second in command, the nationalist voters, and he wasn't to far from becoming the president of southern Ireland by voters here. The queen is just a figure head with no say in politics north or south of our country but we have always traded with the brits, we both need each other in that sense, but no matter we will have our island whole again, if only we could get rid of the friggin government we have now in the south Sinn Féin are in. Things are happening faster than we thought and Sinn Féin have grown ten fold. Good luck to them. I know a lot of people here who are actually afraid to say they admire SF. Maybe because a lot of dimwits still say SF/IRA. but still... will vote for them when it matters.

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barneyjo | Jan 23, 2012, 02:38 PM EST
The sooner the better!! and who knows, if Sinn Fein can begin to show that that they can exercise mature decision making relating to this and other issues, it just might pursuade the many thousands of Nationalist voters in Northern Ireland who consider themselves "disenfranchised" with no effective party to vote for, to think again and give Sinn Fein a punt at the Poll!!

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FallsRNat | Jan 23, 2012, 02:02 PM EST
not surprised really - he's been taking her shilling for years.

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greensod | Jan 23, 2012, 01:48 PM EST
This would be a step in the right direction.Could lead to a united Ireland in due course.Do it.

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RedBranch | Jan 23, 2012, 01:28 PM EST
'Cad a Mil a Falltcha' Yep that all it took for Martin to get on the Royal Express. The mayor of Cashel who broke SF protocol and actually met the Queen is now dead! Draw your own conclusions posters. And Murph, lighten up and watch the Superbowl, or is that too much of a foreign sport?

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CitizenWhy | Jan 23, 2012, 12:35 PM EST
I doubt very much that the queen would be allowed to meet with him. She does not make these decisions, Cameron does.

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mastersonjp | Jan 23, 2012, 11:51 AM EST
Martin is playing catch up with most decent people. Seamus Mallon was right - SLOW LEARNERS

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SeamusMartin | Jan 23, 2012, 11:32 AM EST
I say go for it Martin and screw the naysayers on both sides

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