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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Irish leaders open Boyne centre | Irish leaders open Boyne centre |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and First Minister Ian Paisley have opened a new 25m euro visitors' centre on the site of the Battle of the Boyne. | Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and First Minister Ian Paisley have opened a new 25m euro visitors' centre on the site of the Battle of the Boyne. |
| More than 1,500 people gathered to watch them use 17th century swords to cut the tape at Altbridge House. | More than 1,500 people gathered to watch them use 17th century swords to cut the tape at Altbridge House. |
| Mr Ahern, who is in his final day of office, paid tribute to Mr Paisley for the role he had played in returning devolution to Northern Ireland. | Mr Ahern, who is in his final day of office, paid tribute to Mr Paisley for the role he had played in returning devolution to Northern Ireland. |
| Thanking him, Mr Paisley said there could be no return to violence. | Thanking him, Mr Paisley said there could be no return to violence. |
| "The killing times must be ended forever and no tolerance must be given to any who advocate their return," he said. | "The killing times must be ended forever and no tolerance must be given to any who advocate their return," he said. |
| "A strong dedication to peace and an intolerance of murder must drive us forward." | "A strong dedication to peace and an intolerance of murder must drive us forward." |
| Mr Ahern is to officially tender his resignation as taoiseach, a job he has held since 1997, later on Tuesday. Mr Paisley presented the Irish premier with a King James version of the bible to mark the occasion. | Mr Ahern is to officially tender his resignation as taoiseach, a job he has held since 1997, later on Tuesday. Mr Paisley presented the Irish premier with a King James version of the bible to mark the occasion. |
| Mr Ahern announced last month he would be stepping down, as pressure on him mounted while a tribunal investigated his personal finances. | Mr Ahern announced last month he would be stepping down, as pressure on him mounted while a tribunal investigated his personal finances. |
| Brian Cowen will succeeded him as Irish premier and Fianna Fáil leader. | Brian Cowen will succeeded him as Irish premier and Fianna Fáil leader. |
| The Protestant King William III defeated the Catholic King James II at the County Louth site in 1690 - something celebrated every 12 July at Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland. | The Protestant King William III defeated the Catholic King James II at the County Louth site in 1690 - something celebrated every 12 July at Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland. |
| Symbolic ceremony | Symbolic ceremony |
| Bertie Ahern and Ian Paisley cutting the tape at Altbridge House | Bertie Ahern and Ian Paisley cutting the tape at Altbridge House |
| After attending the symbolic ceremony with Mr Paisley, who is also stepping down this month as Northern Ireland's first minister, Mr Ahern will head back to Dublin where he will return his seal of office to President McAleese at Ãras an Uachtaráin, her official residence in Phoenix Park. | After attending the symbolic ceremony with Mr Paisley, who is also stepping down this month as Northern Ireland's first minister, Mr Ahern will head back to Dublin where he will return his seal of office to President McAleese at Ãras an Uachtaráin, her official residence in Phoenix Park. |
| His successor as Republic of Ireland premier and Fianna Fáil leader, Brian Cowen, takes over on Wednesday when he will be nominated in the Dáil to the Office of the Taoiseach. | His successor as Republic of Ireland premier and Fianna Fáil leader, Brian Cowen, takes over on Wednesday when he will be nominated in the Dáil to the Office of the Taoiseach. |
| Mr Ahern, 56, has been Taoiseach since June 1997 and has been a member of the Irish Parliament for 31 years. | Mr Ahern, 56, has been Taoiseach since June 1997 and has been a member of the Irish Parliament for 31 years. |
| He announced he would be stepping down on 2 April, amid mounting pressure as a public inquiry investigating planning corruption in the 1990s questioned him about his personal finances. | He announced he would be stepping down on 2 April, amid mounting pressure as a public inquiry investigating planning corruption in the 1990s questioned him about his personal finances. |
| Mr Ahern said he had not done anything wrong, but was quitting because he did not want the constant focus on his finances to affect his Fianna Fáil party. | Mr Ahern said he had not done anything wrong, but was quitting because he did not want the constant focus on his finances to affect his Fianna Fáil party. |