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The Queen in Ireland: Ending 100 years without a royal visit

The Queen is the first British monarch to visit what is today known as the Republic of Ireland in 100 years, but is this a sign of the end of centuries of resentment, asks historian Diarmaid Ferriter.

When the Queen's grandfather, King George V, arrived in Dublin in July 1911 he subsequently recorded his "feelings of joy and affection" inspired by the "wonderful reception" he was given by people lining the streets.

Over the course of the next decade, however, the political situation in Ireland was transformed, as were Anglo-Irish relations. It was the events of these tumultuous years, incorporating the War of Independence of 1916-21 and the quest for an Irish Republic, that meant 100 years would have to pass before the next visit.

In the midst of this war, the Government of Ireland Act of 1920 created a separate parliament for the six counties of Northern Ireland, partitioning the island in order to provide a solution to the problem of unionist opposition to any inclusion in an independent Ireland....

Read entire article at BBC News