Queen Elizabeth to visit Croke Park

[passedit]

Fcuk the queen.

You are Michael Fegan and I claim my fiver.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Why couldnt she have just gone to the Aras , the Dáil and have a big feed in Dublin Castle as is usual for these kind of Head of State  visits?

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be? This is the first time ever that the British Head of State is coming to an the independent part of Ireland. The fact that it has taken nearly 90 years should tell you this is significant - not that I seriously think you need it spelled out to you. My wife is getting increasingly tetchy at the prospect, afraid that her hosts will snub her beloved Queenie in some way. Or worse.

Fixed that for you 

[deiseach]

Why couldnt she have just gone to the Aras , the Dáil and have a big feed in Dublin Castle as is usual for these kind of Head of State  visits?

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be?

A normal one between two friendly neighbouring States FFS.

But it isn't

[deiseach]

Why couldnt she have just gone to the Aras , the Dáil and have a big feed in Dublin Castle as is usual for these kind of Head of State  visits?

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be? This is the first time ever that the British Head of State is coming to an the independent part of Ireland. The fact that it has taken nearly 90 years should tell you this is significant - not that I seriously think you need it spelled out to you. My wife is getting increasingly tetchy at the prospect, afraid that her hosts will snub her beloved Queenie in some way. Or worse.

Fixed that for you 

Gotta stop feeding you lines

[deiseach]

And another edit before anyone else does it:

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be? This is the first time ever that the British Head of State is coming to the ECB/IMF controlled part of Ireland. The fact that it has taken nearly 90 years should tell you this is significant - not that I seriously think you need it spelled out to you. My wife is getting increasingly tetchy at the prospect, afraid that her hosts will snub her beloved Queenie in some way. Or worse.

[Rossfan]

Why couldnt she have just gone to the Aras , the Dáil and have a big feed in Dublin Castle as is usual for these kind of Head of State  visits?

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be?

A normal one between two friendly neighbouring States FFS.

But it isn't

Why isn't it?
Is it that we are getting a Royal British seal of approval on our independence or something?

Most Heads of State in Europe are meaningless ceremonial offices whether elected Presidents or relics of Feudal pasts. France is one of the few ( or only??) States where the Presidency has na Executive role.
Visits by Prime Ministers and/or Foreign Ministers are the real significant visits.
As far as I'm  concerned this old lady's visit should be as I said earlier - Aras/Dáil/Dublin Castle and goodbye , please come again sometime.
I fear there will be sickening displays of arselicking from far too many people during the time this old dear here. There was some flute on RTE radio this morning talking about the protocol of meeting a Queen for fcuk sake and how you can't shake hands with them unless they offer their hand to you. I switched to Joe Finnegan at that stage.
Free citizens of an Independent Republic don't have to partake in any of that sh1te.
Remember that rugby lad - Ronan O'Gara  .. that's the way to do it.

[deiseach]

Why isn't it?
Is it that we are getting a Royal British seal of approval on our independence or something?

Most Heads of State in Europe are meaningless ceremonial offices whether elected Presidents or relics of Feudal pasts. France is one of the few ( or only??) States where the Presidency has na Executive role.
Visits by Prime Ministers and/or Foreign Ministers are the real significant visits.
As far as I'm  concerned this old lady's visit should be as I said earlier - Aras/Dáil/Dublin Castle and goodbye , please come again sometime.
I fear there will be sickening displays of arselicking from far too many people during the time this old dear here. There was some flute on RTE radio this morning talking about the protocol of meeting a Queen for fcuk sake and how you can't shake hands with them unless they offer their hand to you. I switched to Joe Finnegan at that stage.
Free citizens of an Independent Republic don't have to partake in any of that sh1te.
Remember that rugby lad - Ronan O'Gara  .. that's the way to do it.

The first visit of one Head of State to a country with which it has had a complicated (ahem) history is always going to be significant. If it were as routine as you seem to think, why has it not happened before?

I take your point about the arselicking. I'll be trying to avoid media coverage of it but sycophancy has a habit of expanding to fill every available space

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

And another edit before anyone else does it:

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be? This is the first time ever that the British Head of State is coming to the ECB/IMF controlled part of Ireland. The fact that it has taken nearly 90 years should tell you this is significant - not that I seriously think you need it spelled out to you. My wife is getting increasingly tetchy at the prospect, afraid that her hosts will snub her beloved Queenie in some way. Or worse.

[Nally Stand]

Why couldnt she have just gone to the Aras , the Dáil and have a big feed in Dublin Castle as is usual for these kind of Head of State  visits?

And what ''kind of Head of State visit" would this be?

A normal one between two friendly neighbouring States FFS.

But it isn't

Why isn't it?
Is it that we are getting a Royal British seal of approval on our yet to be achieved independence or something?

Fixed that one for you. And it will save FoSB having to do so.

[deiseach]

Fixed that one for you. And it will save FoSB having to do so.

Ye're all so considerate of us Free Staters *dons tin hat*

[Hardy]

Jesus I abhor this cringing in fear of a little ould wan and her barking mad husband. Most of those who profess to be indifferent to the visit are at the same time working themselves into caniptions of indignation and parading their inferiority complexes as they fret about some imagined kow-towing to the British queen.

Relax, grow up and stop promoting the British monarch beyond her status as just another visiting head of state. If people are worried about the Irish state appearing to be tugging the forelock to foreign powers, they might better concentrate on our effective ceding of police functions to the US secret service a few days later. Or consider how we should greet our real colonial masters when next they come on a tour of inspection from Brussels to check whether we're being obedient little vassals. 

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Avoid today's Irish Times letters Hardy:

A chara, – May I wish all those participating in the National Forelock Tugging Championship, which coincides with the forthcoming royal visit, the very best of luck.

[bcarrier]

What do we make of the Fintan O'Toole article on Page 18 of this thread ?

Maybe I am paranoid but thought the tone patronising and possibly sneering. 

[Nally Stand]

What do we make of the Fintan O'Toole article on Page 18 of this thread ?

Maybe I am paranoid but thought the tone patronising and possibly sneering.

That would be Fintan alright

[Nally Stand]

Hardy, does the length of this thread and other threads about this, compared to the lack of any threads about the visit of Barack Obama, not to mention the thousands of column inches and news reports of it, and all the talk of protests etc not hint to the fact that this isn't "just another visiting head of state" and isn't it a bit blinkered to suggest it is?