One it was first announced that the Queen would be visiting Ireland my first reaction was trepidation. It has been 100 years since a King or Queen of England has come to Ireland. Is Ireland ready for a visit from the Queen? What are the goals for her visit? What will the Irish do when she is in Ireland?
Pondering these questions caused a very uneasy feeling. It was perfectly understandable why the Queen was coming. Ireland and England are major trading partners. The Irish and English economies are intertwined. English and Irish culture have blurred over the years as many Irish have gone to England for work and married and raised families with the English.
But the Irish are a very proud and independent people. It has been nearly 70 years since the Republic had been totally separated politically. After 700 years of English rule (which during the thought of wiping out the Irish race was definitely on the table) the Irish rose up and demanded and received their independence. And there is no doubt that the Irish will do what they must to insure that independence is never compromised (politically and economically).
But it precisely these conflicting feelings that made the news of Queen’s visit conflicting. It needed to be done but how will it be done?
So the Queen came. She went to the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin (for the fallen heroes that gave their lives for Irish independence) on her first day and bowed her head. I thought that this was a wonderful moment and made me think. “Maybe she is up to something…maybe this is going to be OK.”
Then she participated other agenda items and then gave a speech at the state banquet. And it was a very good one. She opened with a greeting in Irish. And then went on to say:
"Together we have much to celebrate: the ties between our people, the shared values, and the economic, business and cultural links that make us so much more than neighbors, that make us firm friends and equal partners.”
"Of course the relationship has not always been straightforward; nor has the record over the centuries been entirely benign.”
"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss.”
"Many British families have members who live in this country, as many Irish families have close relatives in the United Kingdom. These families share the two islands; they have visited each other and have come home to each other over the years.”
"They are the ordinary people who yearned for the peace and understanding we now have between our two nations and between the communities within those two nations; a living testament to how much in common we have.”
"They are a reminder that we have much to do together to build a future for all our grandchildren; the kind of future our grandparents could only dream of.”
"So we celebrate together the widespread spirit of goodwill and deep mutual understanding that has served to make the relationship more harmonious, close as good neighbors should always be."
These are just excerpts from the speech but the tone was clear. We are equals and have a chance to work together to help each of our people to live better lives. Through peace and economic cooperation both our lands can benefit. It was a moving speech that redefined Anglo-Irish relations.
This point was reinforced when the Queen went to the Dublin Conference Center. She received a rousing standing ovation from the 2,000 member audience that was in direct response to her speech given earlier.
The people of Ireland were touched.
The next day she went to Cork (where the history of the struggle of Irish independence runs very deep) and talked and interfaced with the people at the market. All seemed dreamlike as the Queen and the Irish actually seemed to be bonding.
Then she was off. I felt stunned. It was like seeing an unexpected moment in history and being overwhelmed by the consequences. I do not think either the English or the Irish thought the trip would be so successful and ground breaking.
Credit has to go to the Queen. I not sure if it is because she is in the twilight years of her rule or she has impeccable timing. But she took advantage of an opportunity that had low expectation and turned it into a milestone in Angelo-Irish relations.
One could only wonder if when she and Prince Philip where on the way home, the Queen turned and said. “They will not forget me in Ireland anytime soon.” And they will not.
Should the writer cater to that? Or try to challenge the readers with something new? The brave, gutsy, "correct" answer is the second one -- but you can't challenge anyone if your sales are too low to get any more books published. Readers buy what they want to read, not what someone thinks they should read.
Posted by: True Religion Outlet | 08/12/2011 at 03:39 AM
I agree...Kinda...I think
Posted by: John Flynn | 08/12/2011 at 08:52 AM