@fishingkayaking I'm a Canadian monarchist of Irish decent (family from northern and southern Ireland, all catholic) and I must say, this visit made myself and my grandparents (proud of their Irish heritage) so very happy! God Bless Ireland and God Save the Queen. Here is looking to the future of two close, yet distinct.
Magnificent. I'm an Englishman, and we aren't supposed to have emotions. But we do, really. Especially when something old is being laid to rest, and something new begins. As equals. With our beloved Queen. Being with our beloved equals....Symbols are important. God bless our equality.
Good speech & summary of a historic visit. Nothing but respect for the Royals after this ! Laying a wreath & bowing for those who fought & died for Irish Independence & for 50k Irishmen who died in WW1, Speaking Irish & acknowledging \ regretting her countries past wrongs did it for me. Previously I was sceptical & neither liked or disliked them but they things I saw & heard this week caused a shift in my mindset . Anybody I talk to feels the same ! Northern Irishman
@deGency Thank you for your thoughtful response. This was a brave speech by Olivia; it didn't hide behind euphemism, it poked "gentle fun" as you rightly say, at each countries own proprietorial sensitivities and it also opened to the door to critical historical reflection for both nations and people. It was a great week to be Irish and to be British. Hats off to our President and your Queen for a job well done and to Olivia O'Leary for marking it humourously and intelligently.
@jlangford and if all that I have ever heard or read of the Queen is correct then it appears that she does have a fine appreciation of the humour in a situation and would enjoy "our type of humour". OO'L was spot on!!!
@caneetell I really don't think that you were listening all that well ; I'm a Brit and I could see that Olivia was referring to what she felt were Irish problems in accepting the legacy of the past (as per the example of her post-box). I felt that this was a warm personal tribute, with some gentle humour not just about the Queen (ie the reference to the caution re/ the Guinness) but about the Irish in their reaction to the Queen. It was a warm but also thought-provoking essay.
@breedak Thanks for the reply; is it a coincidence that the major players were women? I include here both O O'L and the previous President, Mary Robinson, who started being noticed on our radar in the 90's. I remember the remarkable decision of Colin and Wendy Parry to invite MR to the funeral of their son Tim (after the Warrington bombing), in their words, "to represent the true spirit of Ireland". I think we've all seen a bit of this over the week and we're all the better for it. Slainte!
Let's clear up a couple of things. #1 Queen of the United Kingdom, in this respect, as England is not a sovereign nation (just like she's not Queen of Western Australia, or New Brunswick). #2 There is no "Free State of Ireland" - only the Republic of Ireland - a sovereign nation of equal footing to that of the UK. #3 The 6 Irish Counties (of Ulster, out of 9) to which you refer are not occupied, but were partitioned (not in simple terms) in 1920. Occupied territories don't have a free decision.
It would be interesting to have a vote in Northern Ireland now. I'm not sure the majority still support partition - the Catholic population is much larger than it was.
@MissMaire9 what are you talking about. This was an excellent speech. She got it spot on, being able to meet as equals is something wonderful, time to move on and enjoy it.
@RonainMacCathain What is your definition of freedom if not self government and the right of the majority of people in a particular region to determine by which government they wish to be ruled?
@DublinVideoTube Fairly sure it's Woodbrook by Irish composer Micheal O Suilleabhain. It was featured in a memorable RTE radio documentary on the personal memoir Woodbrook, by David Thomson, which is itself a very good cameo of British /Irish, Catholic/Protestant relations in the early/mid twentieth century, and is also a nostalgic and achingly poignant read.
@caneetell You missed the point entirely. Well, too bad for you. The speech was measured, witty, and appropriate, Olivia O' Leary is great. I'd be interested to hear your counter arguments. But I doubt they exist.
Your comment is harsh but maybe the Queen of England's visit to the Free State of Ireland is a step in the right direction. Hopefully there will be further steps in the right direction toward returning the Six Irish occupied Counties by the English, back to Ireland peacefully.
@Noid111 I may accept your point about Westlife, but not the Chieftains, surely?!? If the Queen did indeed (as you put it) "curtsey (sic) to Ireland", it was in the personal knowledge that there were wrongs to redress; this is generosity, not having one's nose rubbed in it. Interesting choice of words in "rebel's memorial" and surely there was more than one? The Queen btw spoke Irish, not Gaelic, unless I didn't see that she was playing football at the time :-D
@NQTabroad No she didn't. The entire speech was built around the historical premise that she was the first British monarch to visit in a 100 years! Beside, the Queen is a person, not a deity in the way that the Japanese believed their emperor was divine. Are you by any chance on medication?
@breedak Thank you for your reply, and I agree 'twas a good time to be lrish/British. Is is a coincidence that all the major players here were women (I include here Mary Robinson)? Now, about those completely wrong cricket and rugby results..... :-D
@caneetell , agree with this, i thought it was cringeworthy, i never had any time for olivia o leary anyway, it was a bad choice to choose her, did rte have an input into choosing her, i agree with another posting it was dublin 4 in tone and not a truly irish response
This was a low point on an otherwise fantastic visit. Got off to a bad start and didn't get better. Did not strike the right tone and the audience knew it. Almost blew the feelgood factor of revious few days.
ffs this woman is driving me nuts. Did she have to be so crass? Has she no generosity? It's not about equality but about rubbing The Queen's and Britain's nose in it. I can't think of one point to the trip which hasn't involved The Queen having to curtsey to Ireland. So The Queen has to bow the head to the rebel's memorial, Croke Park, speak Gaelic, listen to this and worst of all be tortured by Westlife. What has the poor woman done to deserve this?
Did not like this, was not suitable for occasion, was not entertaining, don't like Olivia speaking on my behalf, Queen did not seem to pay much attention to Olivia afterwards, whereas she had warm greeting for other participants, what do we care about Olivia's grandfather piano exploits, a bit like subjecting the bride to a critique of her dress as part of best man speech,
