Queen To 'Cross Boyne' For Republic Visit?

It has emerged the Queen may pay a visit to the Republic of Ireland for the first time since the beginning of her reign.

After a meeting between the Prime Minister David Cameron in London and Taoiseach Brian Cowen, plans have surfaced that the Queen's first state visit to Ireland may come before the end of next year.

Although Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, one location that may be considered is close to the site of the Battle of the Boyne.

The two heads of state could meet in Drogheda where ex-service men and women now annually honour the World War I fallen from the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland to mark the special relationship between the two countries.

Whiteabbey Royal British Legion in Co Antrim - who helped pioneer the event over a decade ago - attend, along with representatives from across Northern Ireland.

These include ex regular army and UDR soldiers - along with Shankill Road community figures and civic representatives from across NI.

They mingle with members of the Irish ex servicemen's association and Irish-based Royal British Legion members at the war memorial in Drogheda's Mary Street.

Traditional Royal British Legion Poppy wreaths are placed side-by-side with the tricolour wreaths of the Organisation of National Exservicemen, (ONE) as the last post is sounded and the traditional two-minute silence observed.

The venue may already have been considered, as a uniformed British Army officer, Colonel John Steed, was the official representative of the British Ambassador to Dublin for two consecutive years when he laid a wreath at the Drogheda war memorial as part of his diplomatic role as Military Attaché to the Embassy.

Yesterday, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he wanted to see the official engagement before President Mary McAleese leaves office as there was now no obstacle in the way of Queen Elizabeth II coming to Ireland.

The visit would be unprecedented as no British monarch has visited the Republic of Ireland since it gained independence in the last century.

Mr Cowen said a state visit by the Queen and a return trip to Britain by an Irish President would be part of the normal courtesies made by neighbouring states.

The Queen has visited over 100 countries during her reign and although the trip across the Irish Sea has not been finally agreed, plans for the historic first visit are gathering momentum.

There is also some speculation that the Queen may be close to completing her reign, and the visit could mark a significant visit previously unmade.

It is believed that President Mary McAleese could take the return journey with the Queen making her own state visit to England just weeks before she steps down from her second seven-year term of office in 2011.

See: 'Poppy Day' Remembrance For Drogheda

(DW/GK)