Queen Elizabeth lays wreath at Garden of Remembrance

Queen Elizabeth II lays a wreath during a ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin on the first day of her State visit to Ireland. Photograph: Maxwells/PA Wire

 

Queen Elizabeth II has attended a wreath-laying ceremony in Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance on the first day of her historic 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.
President Mary McAleese and the Queen were greeted and escorted around the memorial by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and Army Chief of Staff Seán McCann.
During the ceremony, the Irish Army band played God Save The Queen,  an act unthinkable only few decades ago.
The poem Rinneadh Aisling Dúinn (We Saw A Vision),  which is inscribed on the wall of the Garden of Remembrance, was read aloud in Irish by Capt Joe Freeley, from the Second Infantry Battalion in Cathal Brugha Barracks, before the Last Post  was sounded.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended the event alongside former Fianna Fáil taoisigh Brian Cowen and Bertie Ahern
The sound of fireworks let off by republican protesters close to the Garden of Remembrance could be heard as the wreath-laying ceremony was being held. Gardaí were also involved in minor scuffles with Éirigí supporters who were rallying in protest at the Queen’s visit.
The Queen’s 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.
The last leg of the Queen’s itinerary today saw her visit Trinity College, established by her ancestor Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, to view the Book of Kells.

The royal party was greeted on arrival at the university by Provost John Hegarty, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn and the college chancellor and former president Mary Robinson.

The Queen was escorted on a tour of the old library building and its famous Long Room chamber by the college librarian Robin Adams. A reception in honour of the Queen was also held in the Long Room, where she and Prince Philip met Trinity dignitaries, scholars, musicians and artists.
The British monarch was earlier welcomed by President McAleese and her husband Dr Martin McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin, marking the official start of her State visit, the first by a reigning British monarch in 100 years.
The 85-year-old monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip were greeted on the steps of the Áras by Mrs McAleese in front of a combined Army guard of honour.
After meeting the President and her husband, the Queen and Prince Philip were escorted inside the Áras and introduced to Taoiseach Enda Kenny, before being invited to sign the visitors’ book in the State reception room.
As part of the ceremonial welcome at the Áras, the Queen received a 21-gun salute in the forecourt of the residence, followed by a rendition of the British and Irish national anthems played by an Army band. A detachment of the Army Air Corps performed a ceremonial fly-by as the anthems were played.
The Queen later inspected a military guard of honour while the band played a piece of music written in her honour by composer Bill Whelan.

If you want to read more about this historical visit, click here:
Queen Elizabeth in Ireland