IRELAND NOTEBOOK

21 May 2011

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You could not mistake the atmosphere in Dublin this week: the state visit of the Queen and Prince Philip has had the full panoply of a historic occasion.

You could not mistake the atmosphere in Dublin this week: the state visit of the Queen and Prince Philip has had the full panoply of a historic occasion. It was obvious that the Irish state was wholeheartedly committed to its success, with the most formal protocols in place. Both David Cameron and William Hague have accompanied the Queen for part of the trip, which is highly unusual. The Queen agreed to visit locations associated with those who rose against the Crown — the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square — and showed a graceful sense of respect. It has been impressive and even moving. Yet it was also sad — at least in Dublin. Because there is a small but extremely violent minority of dissenters, Dublin city was eerily empty of people. Security barriers blocked off all the main thoroughfares. The desolation of the city streets enhanced, in a way, the beauty of the buildings. Strange to think that hardly a generation ago there were Irish politicians who wanted to knock down Georgian Dublin because it was ‘ancien regime’, and fill the spaces with concrete car parks. Thanks to the wonderful Desmond Guinness (Max Mosley’s half-brother), most of Georgian Dublin was saved, and it looked especially glorious as the royal party sped by.

It is always a matter of controversy when an important visitor comes to town: who gets invited to the various swell receptions and who doesn’t. There has been some grumbling that the focus has been either on the political class or on celebrities, though it was sweet to see national treasure Edna O’Brien, who was 80 this year, and Rachel Allen, the delightful chef from Ballymaloe, appear at the President’s lunch for the Queen, along with the likes of John Hume and David Trimble. But there was some feeling that the British ambassador, Julian King, might have invited to his soirée some who really did make a solid contribution to advancing Anglo-Irish understanding, and of rescuing from history those Irishmen and women who had also served the Crown. Kevin Myers, for instance, almost single-handedly brought to light the Irishmen in the 1914–18 war who were, until the 1990s, sidelined by Irish official history. But he was not invited. Eoghan Harris, who has written extensively about the Protestants of West Cork and how badly they were treated, was also omitted, as were the peace campaigners Chris Hudson MBE and Barbara Fitzgerald CBE. I realise that when you’re giving a party, there are regretful omissions. But Myers, especially, deserves honour for the work he has done and I suggest the Royal Irish Academy make him a Fellow forthwith.

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Robert Upfold

May 20th, 2011 5:04pm Report this comment

Your comment on the exclusion of Kevin Myers (a journalist I greatly admire) seems a little mischievous as you know his presence would have ruffled the feathers of those who made the wearing of the green a life (!!) mission.

It is unlikely that Irish political class failed to notice or would be likely to forget such invective as this on the death of Edward Kennedy a couple of years ago.

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"The elevation of this drunken, boorish outsider [Kennedy] to almost godly proportions within Ireland proves how simpering, vapid and insecure our politicians and our media really are. Moreover, we now know that all the IRA really wanted was for Teddy to invite its boss to the White House. Christ, why didn't they tell us that 40 years and 4,000 lives ago? We could have flown the entire bloody crew out for free, and they could have entranced Southie with their tuneless pagan ballads, and their endless self-pity; for ever, with luck."

The elevation of this drunken, boorish outsider to almost godly proportions within Ireland proves how simpering, vapid and insecure our politicians and our media really are. Moreover, we now know that all the IRA really wanted was for Teddy to invite its boss to the White House. Christ, why didn't they tell us that 40 years and 4,000 lives ago? We could have flown the entire bloody crew out for free, and they could have entranced Southie with their tuneless pagan ballads, and their endless self-pity; for ever, with luck.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kennedys-were-leaders-of-the-most-nauseating-and-sentimental-of-any-ethnic-minority-in-us-1874379.html

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