Hurt and hope define Royal visit to Irish Republic

Published on Monday 16 May 2011 17:57

THE great grandson of a Scots-born Irish rebel who led the Easter Rising of 1916 has criticised the Queen's historic visit to Ireland - the first time a British monarch has set foot on Irish soil in a century - which is due to begin tomorrow.

The Queen's four-day itinerary - which includes the Garden of Remembrance, which honours Irish rebels, and Gaelic sports ground Croke Park, where British troops killed 14 people on what became known as Bloody Sunday 1920 - has been criticised by the descendant of Irish Labour Party co-founder James Connolly.

Mr Connolly, who was born in Edinburgh's Cowgate area to Irish immigrant parents, was executed by a British firing squad because of his role in the uprising, which paved the way for Irish independence.

His descendent, James Connolly-Heron, yesterday branded the monarch's visit "bizarre" and "insensitive" and claimed the historic visit was full of "contradictions".

"The itinerary is very strange," said Mr Connolly-Heron, who himself stood as an Irish Labour party candidate in the 1980s, but was not elected.

"The places that she is visiting, the Garden of Remembrance and Croke Park, it's very inappropriate and insensitive.

"The Garden of Remembrance honours all those who fought and died for Irish freedom and that's where the Queen will be laying a wreath.

"But that dream has not been realised."

Final touches were last night being put in place to the biggest security operation Ireland has yet seen.

Around 8,500 police officers and soldiers are preparing for the royal tour.

The Queen's grandfather, King George V, was the last British monarch to travel to Ireland in 1911 - five years before the Easter Rising.

But it is feared that the Queen's presence could spark violent clashes in the streets of Dublin, where there is still some resentment to the legacy of British rule.

Her visit also coincides with the 37th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings by British loyalist paramilitaries in 1974, which killed 34 men, women and children.

When George V visit Ireland in 1911, he said he and Queen Mary were "welcomed with a spontaneous and hearty loyalty" and hoped to be able to return.

However, within years both Great Britain and Ireland were embroiled in the Great War and then the Easter Rising of 1916 which led to the Irish War of Independence in 1919, and subsequently to the Irish Free State becoming a self-governing British dominion in 1922.

The Queen is expected to lay a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance, which honours those who died for Irish freedom.

"There's a contradiction there," added Mr Connolly-Heron.

"Given that the Queen of England still occupies part of this island, is it not strange that she is honouring those who fought and died?

"I don't think we are at the stage for that sort of recognition."

He added: "(The visit to] Croke Park is even more bizarre. The first people who should be honoured should be the people who died on the field."

Honor O'Brolchain, grand-niece of another signatory of the Proclamation of Independence, Joseph Plunkett, said she was initially indifferent to the royal visit but now finds the idea ill-judged.

Despite her opposition, Ms O'Brolchain, a member of the Save 16 Moore Street campaign group - who are working to protect buildings associated with the Rising - said she would not protest.

"Originally I would have said just stand back and stay away. I would prefer to do that," she said.

"But I'd also much prefer some kind of establishment of what the Queen's view of our relationship in Irish history was."

She added: "We have, if you like, a very large complaint against the Crown, the monarchy and forces of England. It goes back a long way."

The Queen's visit, which came as a result of an invitation from the Irish government, will take in Kildare, Tipperary and Cork, as well as Dublin, the Irish capital.

The Queen will be accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip.Other highlights of her trip will range from visits to the Guinness brewery in Dublin, the Irish National Stud in Kildare and Coolmore and historical monuments such as the medieval Rock of Cashel in Tipperary.

The extensive security measures, which will see officers from the Irish police - the Gardai - work with armed British police officers and soldiers to protect the monarch from dissident action, are set to outstrip those used for the 1979 visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland, or for the 1990s visits of then United States president Bill Clinton.

The Gardai has cancelled all leave and drafted in officers from rural locations to areas where the Queen will visit.

They have also borrowed two mobile water cannons from Northern Ireland's police force, while ground-to-air missiles will also be an option.

In addition to the Save 16 Moore Street group, the Queen's visit has been criticised by republican political party Sinn Fein, which described it as "premature" and has criticised the 30 million cost of the security operation protecting her.