Queen Meets Irish Jockeys

The third day of the Queen's historic trip to Ireland has seen Her Majesty in her element as the horse lover enjoyed a trip to one of Ireland's top horse breeding centres.

The Irish National Stud in Co Kildare has produced some of the most successful thoroughbreds at its centre near Dublin.

Today, The Queen met jockeys, trainers and other staff at the centre where she unveiled a statue marking her visit, met the riders and others involved in racing, and was shown stud horses.

This more low key event came after Elizabeth II received a standing ovation at Dublin Castle, which was the seat of British power in Ireland until Partition in 1921, after she opened her formal speech in Irish last night.

"A hUachtarain agus a chairde" ('President and friends'), The Queen, (pictured) said to the apparent amazement of President Mary McAleese.

She then paid tribute to victims of The Troubles in a powerful and highly anticipated address - and obviously included her own personal loss with the IRA murder of her cousin, Lord Mountbatten at his Irish holiday home - but without specific mention of the tragic day - or the mass murder of British Parachute regiment soldiers on the same infamous day in August 1979.

She said: "To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.

"With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all."

Bond Of Friendship

The Queen also praised the strong bond that has now been forged between the two governments.

"That transformation is also evident in the establishment of a successful power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland," she said.

"A knot of history that was painstakingly loosened by the British and Irish Governments together with the strength, vision and determination of the political parties in Northern Ireland," she said, with the invited audience being impressed by her candour and apparent sincerity.

Irish President McAleese said she was proud of the "peacemakers" who helped to bring about power sharing in Northern Ireland.

Mrs McAleese said although the path to peace has been "cruelly slow and arduous" it has "yielded huge dividends".

The Irish President said those who want to move forward from violence must be encouraged.

"I am particularly proud of this island's peacemakers who having experienced first-hand the appalling toxic harvest of failing to resolve old hatreds and political differences, rejected the perennial culture of conflict and compromised enough to let a new future in," she said.

This evening a celebratory event will be held at the Dublin Convention Centre hosted by the British Ambassador, Julian King.

Around 2,000 guests will join the Queen as she welcomes President Mary McAleese for an evening of entertainment.

A fashion show featuring Irish and British designers will follow a concert from Westlife, Mary Byrne and 1996 Eurovision Song Contest winner Eimear Quinn.

Tomorrow's itineray includes a tour of St Patrick's Rock, Cashel and the English Market and Tyndall Institute, Cork before she flies back to London from the local airport.

(BMcC/GK)