irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 06:49
Queen Elizabeth's historic visit to Republic continues
IRISH TIMES REPORTERS
Queen Elizabeth's historic four-day visit to the Republic continues today
and commuters are warned of further disruptions across the capital due to
security measures.
The second day of the Queen's itinerary begins with a trip to the Guinness
Storehouse at St James Gate before a meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny
at Government Buildings.
At noon, the Queen will visit the War Memorial at Islandbridge. The Queen
and President McAleese will lay wreaths at the memorial to the 49,400 Irish
soldiers who died in the first World War.
Later this afternoon, Queen Elizabeth will make a historic visit to Croke
Park, the scene of a massacre by British troops in 1920 during the War of
Independence.
This evening she will attend a State dinner in her honour at Dublin Castle.
The black-tie event, at the symbolic former seat of British rule in Ireland,
will be attended by 172 guests including British prime minister David
Cameron. The Queen is expected to use the occasion to make a major
speech on relations between the countries in what both governments have
described as the diplomatic highlight of her visit.
Members of the public have been urged to use public transport where
possible today in Dublin as widespread traffic restrictions are in place.
Queen Elizabeth yesterday attended a wreath-laying ceremony in Dublin’s
Garden of Remembrance on the first day of her State visit.
In a hugely symbolic gesture reflecting a new era in relations between the
countries, the British monarch bowed her head as she laid a wreath at the
memorial for those who died fighting for Irish freedom, before observing a
minute’s silence.
She later visited Trinity College, established by her ancestor Queen
Elizabeth I in 1592, to view the Book of Kells.
The Queen’s four-day visit has prompted the biggest security operation
ever mounted by the State, with some 10,000 gardaí and Defence Forces
personnel deployed on security-related details.
Twenty people were arrested in Dublin yesterday as rioters and gardaí
clashed for almost three hours. A number of dissident bomb scares also
disrupted security operations.
Tomorrow the Queen will visit the National Stud and the Aga Khan’s
Gilltown Stud. Later she will attend a celebration at the national convention
centre in Dublin hosted by the British embassy.
On Friday she will visit the Rock of Cashel and Coolmore Stud before
heading to Cork for her final engagement.