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MARTIN McGUINNESS HAS said he would not rule out meeting and greeting Queen Elizabeth II in future, despite refusing to attend events when she visited Ireland.
He told the BBC today that he “wouldn’t rule anything out” and would “ponder” meeting the Queen.
McGuinness was speaking after taking part in a promotional event for Northern Ireland this week at St James’s Palace, one of the royal residences.
When Queen Elizabeth visited Ireland last May, McGuinness declined invitations to attend official events. Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams even raised the issue in the Dáil, asking Taoiseach Enda Kenny to respect the party’s right to abstain.
But McGuinness said today that the visit had “made an impact” on him, the Press Association reports.
He cited the fact that “she was prepared to recognise the importance of the Irish language; that she was prepared to stand in a very dignified way to honour those patriots who struggled in 1916 to bring about a free and independent 32-county Irish Republic”.
While campaigning for Ireland’s presidency last year, McGuinness said he would be prepared to meet any head of state, including the Queen, if he was elected.
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Times are a changing for the better…Martin & the rest of Sinn Fein are really going places…
I passed the Sinn Fein office in Dublin today and noted that they still had the “Queen not welcome to Ireland” banner still above the door. Will this now change?
Yeah, they’ve caught up with the rest of the country… Some “leaders”…(!)
Sounds like you walked passed RSF office Simon..
I bet the queen is thrilled
Given her last encounter with a Guinness, if they ever meet she’ll probably just stand there looking at him awkwardly.
Once more, the remedial element in Sinn Fein starts to understand things well after they’ve been obvious to everyone else for a while.
And they’ll call this “leadership”.
I never even knew that he disliked the band in the first place. Somebody should tell him that Freddie Mercury is dead and the rest of them are just tossers anyway so don’t worry about it.
He’s more of a led zeppelin fan of say.
Wow big of him. Time to realise marty: you and gerry are “has beens” – with blood covered hands.
And the British royal family’s hands are spotless??? [Throws eyes to heaven]
A bit of cop on there Bruce. I don’t think you can call the deputy minister of the northern assembly and the leader of the only party with representation both sides of the border ‘has beens’. I’m no sinn fein supporter but I think it’s obvious the power that these two men hold. To suggest otherwise is ignorant on your part.
Wait a few more minutes and the anti sinn fein people will be having a field day on this.
I think all people will welcome Sinn Féin moving in this direction.
Just took them an awfully long time, & at what cost?
Legitimate question, no?
How big of him, “ponder meeting the queen”. Not fooling anyone with his “kind” words…murdering gangster….
If you know hes a murderer i suggest you report your evidence to the Gardai or PSNI…
Fiachra, you are either naive, foolish or both if you believe that man never killed or was involved in the killing of innocent people…
Rocky, if she comes back he could pick her up from baldonnel in Martin ferris’ taxi
@ Bruce,the blood covered hands are what got this country to where it is today
Well now! Those are even creamier!!
I’m sure plenty of West-Brits and Fine Gaelers will positively cream themselves if the English queen comes back over.
Nice creamy head on that pint Paul!
anybody ask the Queen.if she wants to.meet him?
No, because one cannot talk to the queen unless she speaks to one first.
Sinn Fein missed the boat on the Queen’s visit and this ridiculous comment by McGuinness shows why they just don’t quite turn us on in a political sense.
I listened to Mary Lou McDonald tonight giving fiscal advice to Leo Veradkar on RTE and shuddered to think that anyone might actually believe that she knew what she was talking about.
These guys held us back for years and stopped so much inward investment by their terror tactics and now they want a clap on the back for stopping criminal behaviour. I find it insulting and find Adems and his fellow terrorists am embarrassment to the Irish people. Go back to your caves and ditches. Hide in shame for your history and stop telling people of Ireland how to behave – it is insulting.
Totally agree with frank on this one. Mcguinness smug arrogant little man. Who gives a damn about his ‘ponderings’
The queen has been paying his wages for long enough
And who is paying her wages? Yes McGuinness, the tax payer.
The only thing Leo cares about is getting his smug little face on the news.
This man is anti Irish people( unless of course they have a camera)
Jaysus Martin – I would say Buckingham Palace is awash with joy and delight and searching the royal diaries for a free date to meet up !!
McGuinness shaking hands with a bigot who won’t allow Catholics marry into her family? Would it be acceptable to have anti Protestant schools?
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