Queen's visit a milestone for Ireland
By: Daniel O'Carroll | Published Monday, June 20, 2011, 2:45 AM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 10:15 PM
The five day state visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh to Ireland was a true coming-of-age moment for Ireland, and the undoubted beginnings of a new era of cooperation between the independent state and its closest neighbour.
That may sound like a variation on an endlessly repeated theme that's been coming out of the Irish media for the past three weeks, but the surprising thing is that it actually seems to be true.
The Queen's reception in Cork today was for me (disclaimer: a Corkman) the culmination of her five day visit here.
As I mentioned in a blog earlier this week, just after her arrival and first engagements in Dublin, the Queen's first moments on Irish soil were marked by a near total and highly conspicuous absence of the Irish public, a sad and stark reminder of the dissident threat which had threatened this visit since it was first announced.
Thankfully the end of the royal visit, the Queen's two engagements in Cork this afternoon, provided a nice counterpoint to that threat, with the Queen freely mingling with the people of Cork and even wandering off on an impromptu walkabout of the city centre.
The city's streets were thronged with people this afternoon, and the Queen, visiting the city's historic English Market, got up close and personal with market traders and locals alike.
At the Tyndall Research Institute, the hi-tech spin-off of the local university developing such amazing and varied technologies as painless needless and microelectronics, the Queen met local sporting and civic figures, and had a hands on demonstration of the technologies currently under production.
These niceties aside, though, the real legacy of the Queen's visit for Ireland is of course a political one.
The visit -- which went even better than the optimists could have predicted -- seems to have dealt a strong blow to the more virulently anti-British movements in Irish politics.
Opposing the Queen's visit, especially among the youth, was perceived as starkly old-fashioned. A friend laughingly recounted how he heard one protest organizer call a colleague to ask if he could procure more 'tin whistles' for the protest, while the Sinn Fein party's move today to strongly criticize a party mayor who shook hands with the Queen also seems incredibly stuck in the past. The puny protest that was held across the river from the Grand Parade was dwarfed by those who had just come out to enjoy the day and was largely ignored.
It's not, of course, that many don't still cling to '32 county' aspirations, but there seems to be a stronger feeling than ever before that by-gones should be by-gones and that a new era of cooperation between Ireland and Britain promises far more than one of lingering rancour and resentment.
My Facebook feed was an aggregation of young Irish out to enjoy the day. Dozens snapped pictures of the Queen supposedly waving directly 'at them'; others captured glimpses of the car as it sped off for the next stop on the trip. The mood was one of happiness, one of pride for Cork and for Ireland, and a feeling that this was the beginning of a bright new era.
There were certainly a lot of cynics before the Queen's visit who said that it wouldn't really change anything on the ground. But unless I'm badly mistake there has been a noticeable warming in Irish perceptions of Britain and the monarchy since the Queen landed here five days ago.
And that, I join most of the country in thinking, can only be a good thing.
14 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelbourne | May 22, 2011, 07:40 PM EDT
It is you who are ignorant yank, what would you know of the Irish psyche americano.
kinvara7 | May 22, 2011, 06:27 PM EDT
The Queens visit was a historic moment, and the fact that she was dignified and warmly received shouldn't surprise anyone. However the trip was long overdue, and had it not been for the two Marys it might not have happened. Relationships between the vast majority of people on both sides of the Irish Sea have been good for sometime; in that regard the Queen is merely responding (belatedly) to changes that had already occurred and therefore she doesn't really merit the acclaim she is receiving in the media. Of course it isn't her fault that the media respond in such overblown terms.
americano | May 22, 2011, 08:15 AM EDT
seanomelbourne, to regard "neighbourhood partnerships" as naive and ignorant is indicative of a low mental strata, nevertheless, your are entitled to your opinion, good luck.
DanOLoingsigh | May 22, 2011, 04:32 AM EDT
americano - Reported on RTE Radio this morning...Bookings at the Rock of Cashel up 40%. Irish tourism chiefs claim the benefit and free advertising, positive coverage by foreign media far outweighs the cost of QE visit.
seanomelbourne | May 22, 2011, 12:40 AM EDT
How naive and ignorant can some people be.Neighbourhood partnership americano has no soul or concept of what it means to be Irish.
americano | May 21, 2011, 09:35 PM EDT
The results of the Queens visit are bound to be positive, both socially, and politically, unfortunately, both countries have currently a severe economical downturn, thus in this aspect nothing much can be done, but the Queen's visit has established a new sort of neighbourhood partnership that did not exits before, and that will no doubt be positive socially, and economically Ireland might perhaps consider exiting the EURO and re-instead the PUNT based and supported by the GBP..
seanomelbourne | May 21, 2011, 07:47 PM EDT
She's gone and good riddance let's write about something relevant.
brianmack | May 21, 2011, 07:45 PM EDT
I'm quite a bit older than you Dan but think you have a very positive perspective as to what the Queen's visit means for the future. My generation will be dying off and it's your fellow travelers who will be making the difference. The future does indeed look brighter and optimistic. Thanks.
Searlit | May 21, 2011, 07:32 PM EDT
It's fine to want a better relationship and to move forward, as long as their is awareness connected to that optimistic view. Otherwise, it will be regarded as the naivete of youth.
Trealach | May 21, 2011, 06:28 PM EDT
It seems to me that this young-wet-behind-the-ears journalist should FIRST learn simple mathematics BEFORE trying vainly to voice an uneducated and worthless opinion on the 'effects of a State visit'. She arrived on Tuesday and LEFT on Friday - that son is 4 (FOUR) days NOT 5 (FIVE). Her visit will have absolutely NO impact on the recovery of this economy, either through increased tourism from England, or any other form of Trade which is not currently being done. A New chapter in relations can not begin until the previous chapters are recognised, validated, and responsibility accepted by the Crown. You may well decided to sell the past as 'merely the past', but it is a past created by the Crown. When the Crown gives proper recognition to this, accepts their responsibility for it and apologises to the nation, only then can a New Chapter be written. In the meantime, I suggest you learn basic mathematics.
r.pavlick | May 21, 2011, 03:44 PM EDT
Another visitor will show up on your shore soon. His name is Obama. When he arrives please keep him. Preferrable under a bog...a deep one.
Aleeyne | May 21, 2011, 03:12 PM EDT
well said Danny Boy - I am sure it is the beginning of a whole new chapter in cooperation between these two neighbouring nations. It is sure to be the best for both nations.
Sparklet | May 21, 2011, 01:05 PM EDT
Why would they? It's Cobh that was Queenstown, and Cobh it will remain.
Rebelforce | May 21, 2011, 12:51 AM EDT
I hope they don't go overboard a rename Cork Queenstown.