– Life along the Slaney

At the weekend the Byrne Perry School opened with an address by Fine Gael TD, Fergus O’Dowd.

The title of the Byrne Perry School for this year was Entwined Histories II: Ireland, France and America however leaving aside one tenuous link to the theme Mr. O’Dowd’s speech decided to focus more on the current state of play in Irish politics.

He began for praising the current government stating that David Cameron’s apology in the House of Commons following the publication of the Saville Inquiry Report into the unjustifiable deaths in Derry bon Bloody Sunday was “a very welcome development indeed.”

He went on to say that the proposed visit by the Queen to these shores would be “the final chapter” in the long and previously bitter relationship between our two countries.

While it is fair to say that the adult and logical thing would be for the head of state of the UK to come and visit Ireland. However while a visit by David Cameron would be welcomed by most if not all people in this country, a visit by the Queen will cause serious division in the country and rather than becoming the “final chapter” in the relationship, will cause it to revert back to the bitter old days.

I have no problem with the Queen. The people of the United Kingdom are entitled to have a monarch as their head of state – that’s their prerogative. However because the Queen is a figurehead and has no real influence on the social, economic or business dealing of ‘her’ country I cannot see the value in inviting her to this country.

Why Brian Cowen saw it fit to issue an invitation on behalf of his country last week is beyond me. What will this visit achieve?

The only outcome of such a visit will be to stir up old resentments in people at a time when the country seems to be finally moving on. While the Republican movement in the south of Ireland is not as strong as it was, this move by out Taoiseach is surely going to wake within certain people those feelings they have not thought about in many years.

What is Queen Elizabeth going to do here in Ireland? A tour of the famine memorials around the country perhaps? A visit to some restored workhouses? Surely not.

I cannot imagine Lizzie travelling in an open top car down O’Connell Street with crowds lining Dublin’s main thoroughfare waving little Union Jacks and holding their children up just to get a glimpse of this bejewelled monarch.

The real difficulty that I have about a royal visit to these shores however is much more mundane – the cost. How much will it cost to bring the royal family (and the corgi’s of course) over to Ireland?

For, lest we forget, the cost of a royal visit will be borne by the people of Ireland. The security detail, gardaí, accommodation, travel, food, petrol, dog food….well you get the picture.

I don’t need to remind you that the country isn’t exactly cash rich at the moment and so why not spend the money on something of more value. Why not invite David Cameron and his lap dog Nick Clegg over so they could discuss the creation of business links and economic policies?

Instead there will be discussions on Harry’s latest faux pas in a Nazi uniform and the impending nuptials of William – you know the really important matters.

While a visit by the Queen to a British town would be a real boon for the local economy, I cannot see shops in Dublin selling out of replica mugs and plates with the Queen’s visage on them.

No, there is no up-side to this proposed visit and rather than being the final chapter in the relationship it will provoke and incite the bitterness that we thought had been forgotten and return us – hopefully only briefly – to the bad old days of them against us.