Updated 9.10am
CASHEL AND CORK will be the centre of attention today as Queen Elizabeth II bids farewell to her digs in the Phoenix Park and allows the streets of Dublin to get back to normal – until Monday of course.
The Queen and Prince Philip will arrive in Cashel by helicopter and take a tour of the Rock of Cashel before a private tour of Coolmore stud, following yesterday’s trip to the Irish National Stud and the Aga Khan’s Gilltown stud near Kilcullen in Kildare.
Then it’s on to Cork, also by helicopter, where the royal pair will visit the city’s English Market and the Tyndall Institute at UCC. Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf, the Cork twins who were born conjoined but separated at Great Ormond Street hospital in London last year are among the invited guests. The twin’s mother Angie has told Morning Ireland that the 17-month-olds are now able to pull themselves up into a standing position.
The Queen and Prince Philip will then wave goodbye to Ireland as they take off from Cork Airport.
Although they will travel from Dublin to Cashel and on to Cork by helicopter, there will be significant traffic disruption in both areas for the duration of the visits, so bear in mind the various road closures and delays.
The Queen and Prince Philip are hopefully well rested after last night’s gala in the Convention Centre in Dublin which saw the pair treated to some of the best in Irish music, sport and culture, with performances by Riverdance, Mary Byrne, Westlife and the National Symphony Orchestra.
And while Dublin will see traffic restrictions and delays ease significantly, things won’t get fully back to normal until after the visit of President Barack Obama on Monday 23 May. There may be further road closures and restrictions over the weekend and on Monday to prepare for the president’s arrival, while services like Dublin Bikes will not return to normal until next Wednesday.
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