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Queen on first state visit to Republic of Ireland | Queen on first state visit to Republic of Ireland |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Queen is set to begin the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by a British monarch. | The Queen is set to begin the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by a British monarch. |
Irish police say up to 4,000 people are involved in security for the four-day trip, which comes amid a rise in dissident republican violence. | |
The Irish Army says it has made safe a "viable" improvised explosive device in Maynooth, near Dublin. A bomb threat has also been investigated in London. | |
The Queen's visit is the first of its kind since the country's independence. | |
King George V was the last reigning monarch to visit, in 1911, when what is now the Republic was then part of the UK. | |
The Queen was invited to visit by Republic of Ireland President Mary McAleese, who will formally welcome the monarch at her home in Dublin's Phoenix Park. | |
The Queen will attend events at Trinity College Dublin, the National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge and at Croke Park stadium. | The Queen will attend events at Trinity College Dublin, the National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge and at Croke Park stadium. |
Croke Park is the home of Gaelic football where in 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, British forces fired into the crowd at a match, killing 14 spectators and players. | |
The Queen is also to make a speech at a state dinner at Dublin Castle. | The Queen is also to make a speech at a state dinner at Dublin Castle. |
There are plans for the Queen and Prince Philip to visit the Irish National Stud in Kildare, as well as the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary and a technology park in Cork. | |
Symbolism | Symbolism |
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who helped to establish the Northern Ireland Peace Process in the early 1990s, said the Queen's visit would "put a seal" on the relationship between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. | |
"One thing you discover if you travel round the world is that the Queen has become iconic," Sir John told the BBC's Newsnight. | |
"If you're abroad and people talk about the Queen, they mean our Queen and I think the symbolism of her visiting Ireland - given the history of the past - will be seen as a very big event and absolutely pivotal event in building an even better relationship in the future." | |
The coded bomb threat in London, received on Sunday, was the first issued by Irish dissidents outside Northern Ireland in 10 years, officials said. | The coded bomb threat in London, received on Sunday, was the first issued by Irish dissidents outside Northern Ireland in 10 years, officials said. |
However, the threat level for Northern Ireland-related terrorism, which stands at severe, has not been changed. | |
Sir John said he was not worried about possible trouble during the visit. | |
"I think you can find people who will demonstrate against anything or anyone on any occasion, so I think there may well be a handful of people who will demonstrate, but that plainly - from what we've seen in the nine months of preparation - is not the view of the overwhelming majority of the Irish people. | "I think you can find people who will demonstrate against anything or anyone on any occasion, so I think there may well be a handful of people who will demonstrate, but that plainly - from what we've seen in the nine months of preparation - is not the view of the overwhelming majority of the Irish people. |
"I am absolutely certain that the Queen and the [Duke of Edinburgh] will get a fantastic reception." | |
As part of the security operation in Dublin, thousands of manhole covers and lamp-posts have been checked, and parking restrictions started on Monday. | |
Former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said the four-day visit was hugely significant, and showed the "maturity" of the relationship between the country and the Queen and British government. | Former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said the four-day visit was hugely significant, and showed the "maturity" of the relationship between the country and the Queen and British government. |
"Except for a tiny minority, people welcome this," he said. | "Except for a tiny minority, people welcome this," he said. |