to wonder why I can't find a thread about the Irish President's State Visit to Britain?

[ThisLittlePiggyStayedHome]

Irish President Michael D. Higgins has been hosted by Queen Elizabeth for the past two days, and the news coverage here (in Ireland) is as extensive as it was when the British Queen made her official visit to Ireland in 2011. There were moving and impressive speeches made by both Michael D and the Queen, centred on reconciliation from the centuries of conflict between our two islands, acknowledgments of work still to be done in healing the pain inflicted by colonialism, and by terrorism on both sides, and warm words about the enormous contribution that Irish people (both emigrants and those of Irish descent) have made to British life. Particularly significant moments included President Higgins pausing to pay his respects at a memorial to Lord Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth expressing her desire for the Royal Family to stand side by side with the Irish President in commemorating the 2016 centenary of the Easter Rising, and Martin McGuinness participating in a toast to the Queen in his capacity as Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Where I live in Ireland (not in the North), this has been the main topic of workplace / bus stop / school gates conversation, with everyone I’ve spoken to agreeing that it’s another incredible step forward and a welcome confidence-booster in the potential for lasting peace in Northern Ireland in particular.

Yet here on Mumsnet, which I tend to think of as my window into the workplace / bus stop / school gates conversation of Britain, I’ve seen no mention of the State Visit at all.

So I’m curious – do you think Irish people on the whole feel more in tune with or invested in Anglo-Irish relations and the situation in NI than people in Britain tend to? Or is there a lot of interest in the situation over there, but it just isn’t apparent by browsing MN for some reason?

I was very frustrated with news values today, the Maria Miller story is so dull. I do think the state visit is important to both countries and involves pomp and circumstance. Many Irish people have an obsessive interest in the Royal family as a guilty pleasure. I am remembering both my Irish Catholic Grandmothers in this regard.

It was the leader story round about lunchtime. There is also the uncomfortable issue of Martin McGuinness's presence - I am surprised at the extent to which that effected me (given I am by no means a royalist).

I suspect that in general, the discomfort that was felt at the height of the troubles has been displaced by the issue of Islamic fundamentalism. i also wonder if the success of Ireland during the boom years has made it all seem like yesterday's problem?

Maybe the Royal family thing is part of it, Alerie, but the news coverage I've seen and the conversations I've been privy to have been about the historical / political significance of the event, not about the pomp and royalty aspect.

I know some people who might have a passing curiousity about the royals, but only the same people who also care what the Kardashians get up to. In my opinion, it's definitely not the basis of why people here are interested in the first ever State Visit of an Irish president to the British head of state.

Start one, lovey.

Why do other people have to start the threads you might be interested in?

YABU!

The stories I've heard mainly today have been Maria Miller, Oscar Pistorius, Peaches Geldof autopsy, PC Blakelock killing, stabbing at US High school, Prince George visit to nursery. Will go and read about the Irish president visit now.

I think the visit will be front page news tomorrow

www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-26949690

Ummm.... Sanity? I think I just did.

Thanks for the link, Aventurine :) Interesting that the main coverage seems to be coming as the visit winds down. Here there was a lot of anticipation about it.

Also a lot of interest here in Peaches Geldof's sad passing, of course.

"Where I live in Ireland (not in the North), this has been the main topic of workplace / bus stop / school gates conversation,"

I live on Dublin and haven't heard it mentioned once by anyway if I'm honest

It was featured on the BBC 10 o clock news last night, DH didn't know Ireland even had a president. I find some people here, particularly younger ones, have little knowledge of Ireland and it's recent history with Britain. There is confusion about the meaning of Northern and 'Southern' Ireland. A work college was amazed that I had an irish passport and never realised it was a separate country .

Yes, but why were you offended that someone else hadn't, ThisLittlePiggy?

Because state visits are deatly dull staged events and the Irish President seems a bit of an anonymous bumbling twit?

Piggy, judging by the replies, we should have stayed at home.

Wow.

A work college was amazed that I had an irish passport and never realised it was a separate country

is right shebird - do you mean they didn't know the 'south' was a separate country or NI?

Where did I say I was offended, Sanity? From which part of my post did you mistakenly infer that I was offended?

There was a big diplomatic moment between two nations. I know first-hand that in one of those nations it is the big news story and a major topic of conversation. I was curious as to whether the apparent lack of interest in the visit among MNers is indicative of a lower level of interest in the same event, in the other nation involved. I started the thread because, not being in Britain, I can't answer that question myself. And I was curious, as I said in the OP.

"Curious" is not a synonym of "offended."

Composthat , i find your comment very offensive.

Your OP puzzles me, this just isn't the type of thing I would discuss at the school gates, or at work. We didn't even talk about the Malaysian jet the other week, conversations with other mums, as tends to be reflected in my thread choice on MN, focuses on my DCs and escapist twaddle. (For the record, we wouldn't talk about the Kardashians or Peaches Geldof either.)

It's the school Easter holidays here, and most parents I know are focused on the task of entertaining children rather than the news. The only reason I knew there was a state visit was because we drove past a sign about road closures in the vicinity of Windsor - whilst on the way to Legoland.

I've read about the visit on the BBC website, I get that it's a big deal, etc, but don't feel the need to debate it on here.

(FWIW, I studied Irish history, and have a degree from Oxbridge, so am not uninterested.)

Because state visits are deatly dull staged events and the Irish President seems a bit of an anonymous bumbling twit?

I've heard he can armpit fart all the European nation anthems.

If you were interested in discussing this state vist, then start a thread in In The News.

You asked if you were being unreasonable to think that someone else should have started a thread, in something you were interested in. And I said I thought you were.

I don't think you are unreasonable to be interested, but I'm a bit bemused that you think someone else should have started a thread.

He's being met by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury in our City's cathedral on Friday . DH is a cathedral guide and is hoping to be introduced .

Not sure the Queen's apologised for anything has she? Not nitpicking just interested!!

I don't think the OP is saying someone else should have started a thread, she's just interested in the reasons why nobody has started a thread?