WE KNEW SHE was coming to Dublin but now the Lord Mayor of Cork has said that the Queen of England is coming to Cork.

The Cork Evening Echo is at pains on its front-page story headlined “Queen for Cork” this afternoon to say that it is absolutely not an April Fool’s Day joke. The office of Lord Mayor Michael O’Connell also confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the story was true. The Lord Mayor said:

Following my invitation to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to visit Cork and following subsequent telephone conversations, I am extremely confident that Cork will form part of her itinerary, with Friday, May 20, being the suggested day of her visit.

Alan Healy and Ann Murphy report that a meeting took place in Cork Airport today between local gardai, the Army and airport authorities to discuss security and operational measures for the visit. The Echo also suggests that St Finbarre’s Cathedral and the English Market in the city, Blarney Castle and the Royal Cork Yacht Club could be on the itinerary.

It is 110 years since a British monarch visited Cork city – Queen Victoria popped by in 1900. She also visited Cobh in 1849 – it was called Queenstown to commemorate that visit and remained so until 1922 and the foundation of the State.