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The Queen's visit
Opinion: Cop on! Days of old age tribalism are over!
No member of the British monarchy has visited this country since George V in 1911. Well, that’s about all to change with the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II later this year. I hope you realise, as I do, that the days of hating our neighbour needs to be over for Ireland to progress, both culturally and diplomatically. Surely the Queen’s visit later this year is a fantastic opportunity for such a progression to occur. The event will hopefully be remembered in the same light as the Good Friday agreement.
Although I’m assured that many merits will come from the Queen’s visit, I did question why it’s only happening now, given that the bad blood between Ireland and England only began to drip away during the 90’s. Apparently, it could only have happened in the last decade because the IRA were responsible for the brutal murder of the Queen’s uncle, the Earl of Burma, Louis Mountbatten.
Of course, there are fringe groups who are opposed to the Queen’s visit. A socialist republican ‘party’ called Éirígí is one of them. Their opposition is of course expected, given that on the party’s website, there is reference to the Queen which reads as follows “This woman is the commander in chief of Britain’s armed forces, the same armed forces that have committed massacre and murder across Ireland and the same armed forces that continue to commit massacre and murder in Afghanistan”.
Hmmm, surprisingly there’s no mention of the massacre and murder of both Protestants and Catholics that has occurred because of the IRA. Also, one must ask; since when did socialist republicans begin to care about world affairs? Given that radical republicans have for so long resorted to nothing more than nihilism; is it not hypocritical for them to show their disgrace at the happenings in the Middle East?
Having gained eight seats in the recent election, people are unfortunately starting to believe that Sinn Féin is the answer. Sinn Féin is only the answer to the following question: “Can you imagine a political party that makes no apology for its history of violence?”
When I hear idle talk of how this country could, or should, punch above its weight; I ask: ‘Well what’s better than the stereotypical image people have of us worldwide?’ We are portrayed as a welcoming and friendly people. If one was not able to identify any diplomatic progressions from this trip; may they at least see that if we want to live up to the stereotypical image of us, possessed around the world, we should welcome the Queen with open arms?
The brutish nationalists are actually colloquial enough to refer to the Queen as ‘Lizzy Windsor’. C’mon, heads of state regularly visit countries without terms like that being thrown around! Also, it’s important that we question what, if any, are the advantages of denying the Queen from visiting Ireland? Nothing comes to mind, and even nationalists haven’t mentioned any advantages of denying what will surely be a memorable diplomatic visit.
After all, charities based in both the U.S and Britain recently began sending aid to the natural disasters happening in Japan. And notice how there is no hesitation on the part of the U.S, to help the country that once bombed Pearl Harbour.
I recently became assured that this discussion had become tiresome when I brought it up in a debate. Those who opposed the Queen’s coming here constantly complained of how her visit would cost too much. Interestingly, they never actually mentioned a figure. They also didn’t mention or even complain that for St. Patrick’s Day many cabinet ministers make diplomatic visits.
In the past week, nine ministers will have travelled worldwide to represent Ireland. So many diplomatic visits in one week will cost a lot. This happens every year and surely it’s only rational that only the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs make diplomatic visits for St. Patrick’s Day. Given that in the recently elected cabinet the Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, only two diplomatic visits should have taken place. But all the diplomatic visits that have happened in the past week don’t bear as much historical significance as the Queen’s visit here will.
Gerry Adams describes the visit as premature; but if it doesn’t happen now, when will it, if at all? Let’s leave behind those days of contempt for the British and glorifying corner-boy nihilism.
Those who oppose the visit also talk of how the Queen should apologize for the events of past. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, already did so and it was applauded by many nationalists.
Writing this article is an attempt to silence and satisfy those that cannot be satisfied or silenced. Let’s be rational. Let’s realise that no good can come of being opposed to progress, or to moving on from the past. As I said before, those days of talking of primitive glories and old age tribalism are over! Or at least they need to be; we’re too intelligent for that now.
There’s nothing we can do about the past. Let’s look with hope to the future.
By: Cormac O’Malley
