Times have changed since the first sense fine Representative for shaking hands with the Queen of England was denounced by his party.
Seven years ago, the Mayor of Cashel made the magnanimous gesture of welcoming Queen Elizabeth to the Rock of Cashel, the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster. The late Michael Browne, whose brother Martin is now a TD for Tipperary, stated that “people need to come before the political parties”.
The Mayor knew the mood of the nation well as the Queen’s historic visit was a milestone in Anglo-Irish relations. As Banríon Eilís a Dó remarked on the complexity of our history and reconciliation: “To be able to bow to the past but not be bound by it.”
That was then, this is now. The Queen’s son, Prince Charles, is expected to return to rock during another royal visit, this time to the south-east of the country. The future monarch has a long friendship with this country and visits it several times.
He too demonstrated the importance of healing after his beloved Uncle Dickie, Lord Louis Mountbatten, was murdered by the Provisional IRA in Mullaghmore in 1979. The bomb on his boat also claimed the lives of widow Lady Brabourne, Mountbatten’s grandson Nicholas Knatchbull and Paul Maxwell, a young local crew member.
On all sides the past is not forgiven and certainly not forgotten, but it does not dominate. However, the present frets – 2022 is not 2011 and relations between our fair islands have deteriorated over the past decade.
The narcissism of Brexit has threatened peace on this island and the UK government shows little appreciation for the progress that has been made over the past quarter century.
Boris Johnson’s pathetic attempt to compare Brexit to the Ukrainian people fighting an invasion by an imperial power shows that we think very differently. Meanwhile, his government’s attempt to bind refugees in bureaucracy and security checks reveals the yawning gap in our respective countries’ approaches.
Johnson’s reputation as a liar ready to break any agreement means there is little good faith. The ongoing risk to the Northern Ireland Protocol and the return of border controls mean tensions remain high. The future king should be aware of the current concerns of his hosts.
The sordid sexual allegations against his brother, Prince Andrew, are another modern-day plague for the royal family.
With the support of his family, the Duke of York paid Virginia Giuffre an alleged £7million settlement to get her to drop the civil sexual assault case against him in the US.
We also had to bite our tongues about Charles’ ties to the Parachute Regiment, whose soldiers were responsible for the murder of 14 civil rights activists in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Derry in 1972.
The red berets of the Paras, along with the green tunics and khakis of the Black and Tans and the round helmets of Cromwell’s army, are regarded as a despised symbol of British rule. The Prince of Wales holds the role of Colonel of the Regiment.
His son and daughter-in-law, William and Kate, are not exactly given a warm welcome in the Caribbean as nations consider leaving the Commonwealth and growing demands in Jamaica for an apology and redress for slavery.
Karl is a welcome guest and will hopefully continue to travel here when he is king. But our traditional “Céad Míle Fáilte,” 100,000 welcomes, can be dialed down to 99,000 just to let the prince know something is fishy in his state.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/just-the-99000-welcomes-this-time-for-charles-and-camilla-as-the-present-not-the-past-casts-a-shadow-over-royal-visit-41476090.html Only the 99,000 salutes this time for Charles and Camilla as the present, not the past, casts a shadow over the royal visit
