AIBU?
to think that the queen has been bloody brilliant this week.
cowparsely · 18/05/2011 22:23
seriously this is historical stuff happening. she has done and said things these past two days on her trip to ireland that will have very positive repercussions.i am full of admiration for her.
Sapphirefling · 18/05/2011 22:32
YANBU. I was cynical as to the purpose and benefit of such a visit but she looks as if she is genuinely enjoying her time there - all the news stories give a real 'feel good' impression and I think the various commemorations and particularly tonights speech will go a long way to improving Anglo Irish relationships. And the dissenting voices seem to be a very insignificant and inneffective minority.
DontGoCurly · 19/05/2011 00:18
YANBU
She is amazing. We are loving her! Queen mania! Just such a pity she can't do a walkabout because of a tiny minority of assholes.
Her stamina for 85 is unbelievable, so impressed with the effort she is making. Can't imagine how she is getting through the schedule she is doing. She must be so tired.
I hope she enjoys the horses though, she's done a lot of duty stuff, she deserves a little 'Queen time'
Her speech at the State dinner went down brillaint as did the 'cupla focal' !!!
chipmonkey · 19/05/2011 00:51
YANBU. Very impressed with her hereand I think all but a tiny minority of us think it's a long overdue visit.
Dh was hoping she would kiss the <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=www.sacredsites.com/europe/ireland/images/256.jpg&imgrefurl=sacredsites.com/europe/ireland/blarney_stone.html&h=337&w=299&sz=21&tbnid=n2vRRddg-ypjZM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=106&prev=/search%3Fq%3DBlarney%2Bstone%2Bkiss%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Blarney+stone+kiss&usg=__lRiTJ-3BnKW5JltIb4_ZBxhzB1s=&sa=X&ei=4VrUTfaaF5OBhQes89GaAQ&ved=0CEAQ9QEwBA" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">Blarney Stone but I can't see Prince Philip holding her upside down by the legs somehow!
cloudydays · 19/05/2011 01:47
And to be fair, the extent to which the Irish public are showing their collective will to leave the ugliness of history in the past, by extending such a warm and enthusiastic welcome to a British monarch, is pretty damn gracious as well.
I'm a blow-in so I can compliment the Irish without arrogance :)
rosyvalentine · 19/05/2011 02:12
She has been fantastic! Her stamina in the face of such a full-on schedule is amazing and she appears to be really enjoying her visit. I was sceptical about the trip but am viewing it very positively now, as are the majority of Irish people. It has been a real boost to Anglo-Irish relations.
vvviola · 19/05/2011 09:29
I think her act of actually honouring those who fought - against the empire that she represents - for Irish independence was one of the most gracious acts that I will ever see.
In fairness, that's a standard part of a State Visit to Ireland - it would have been a major deal to leave out the ceremony at the Garden of Rememberance. But that said, she did it with real grace - and her visit to Croke Park was an outstanding idea.
She has been absolutely brilliant though - I'm not in Ireland at the moment, so I've missed the wall-to-wall coverage of the visit, but it seems to be going incredibly well. Lots of people commenting on how genuine she seems and how she give you her full attention when she's talking to you. And the Queen genuinely seems to be enjoying it too. Mind you, after such a busy visit, I'd say she's dying to get home and put her feet up!
(Another person who is being incredible is our President - I think she's been playing an absolute blinder this week)
Obama will have to really pull out the stops if he wants his visit to impress more than this one.
are you not that fussed on the queen or not that fussed on putting behind us all the years of violenceQualiaQuale · 19/05/2011 10:38
I'm not that fussed on the queen and I don't think the visit really has done much for anyone. I certainly don't think it has been very good for our image, what with the nailing down manholes and overly high security, implying that you can't trust us near the queen as we're all so dangerous. Why no walkabout, why no hand shaking?
I have no problem with a state visit, thats what civlised countries do, however I don't think it has really been any tangible benefit for anyone. Just a personal opinion.
harassedinherpants · 19/05/2011 10:47
I think she's done fantastically well this week! I'm glad that the majority on here think she's been well received..... you can't please everyone all the time.
Mainly though, I think she's bloody marvellous for her age. The amount of work she does is just phenomenal. I'd be shattered personally!
MaybeTomorrow · 19/05/2011 10:54
OP YANBU.
QualiaQuale, I don't think it's a trust issue around Security, they had to do the same in London for the Royal Wedding. These days any high profile event like this, the Security has to be stepped up. Terrorism comes from every avenue these days and Security is a priority. It will be no different when Obama visits I'm sure. It's unfortunate but it is the way of the World.
QualiaQuale · 19/05/2011 10:58
not true, the Royal wedding the streets were lined with people, they weren't shooed away from even standing outside like they were here. You just have to look at the pictures of the empty streets around Trinity College on tuesday.
I never said she wasn't well recieved, or that she wasn't welcome, I just don't think it changes anything. Mainly for the very good reason that to most people, its over a long time ago. They're saying its "lets put the violence behind us", but for most of us we did that near 20 years ago.
Its all very nice, good neighbourly, lovely. I just think its over-stated, over-hyped, and could have been handled a little better. But like I said, personal opinion only.
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