Walkers on Leenane Hill three and a half years ago.
Ah, the good old days, eh ? There was no end of the tugging of forelocks, and bowing and scraping, when King Edward the Seventh and Queen Alexandra visited Leenane as part of an Irish tour on July 30th, 94 years ago. The New York Times reported [in an article entitled “Irish peasants cordial to the King and Queen”] that the king had assured the inhabitants that :-
he was … pleased with the spirit of industrial activity and with the warm hearty welcome of the people, which he and the Queen would both long remember.
The tour ended in Recess before the royal part took a train back to Galway, the rail infrastructure being more extensive almost a century ago than it is now.
Queen Elizabeth II began her visit to Ireland today, an occasion hugely symbolic of how Irish people can talk almost anything to death. There has been more nonsensical commentary about this trip than ever before¹, what with a [very small] angry squad that would like her to apologize for everything that has happened in Ireland since Patrick was chasing sheep in Mayo to the endless drivel from commentators on the significance of the visit. Meanwhile, most people just hope it goes well and then we get back to our lives – until next week when Obama visits and the whole cycle starts again. June is going to seem very quiet in comparison.
[¹except for the torrent of guff at the weekend about Jedward, a pair of yahoos I’d gladly watch dance, but only at the end of a rope]