Irwin Armstrong, NI Conservatives chairman, has welcomed the Queen and Prince Phillip’s visit to Northern Ireland and expressed his hope that it can help to “further improve relationships across these islands and across our interdependent communities”.
“The next two days are an exciting opportunity for people in Northern Ireland to get involved in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee festivities”, Irwin remarked. “There is such enormous respect and affection for Her Majesty in this part of the UK, and that is reflected in the huge number of people who will attend events in Enniskillen and Belfast”.
“Of course while the principal purpose of her visit is to take part in jubilee celebrations, the Queen has also made an outstanding contribution to fostering peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Last year’s visit south of the border was a landmark event in relations between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.”
“During this current trip the cross community dimension will again be to the fore and a great deal of turbulent recent history will be set aside when the Queen meets the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness. Her Majesty’s arrival is a chance to reflect upon how far we’ve come as a society, although we must remember that there is still a great deal to do, in order to build a shared future, rather than a shared out future”.
“I hope the Queen and Prince Phillip have an enjoyable and memorable trip to Northern Ireland and that everyone celebrating the jubilee over the next two days has a great time. Even more importantly, I hope that the Queen’s arrival and her example in extending the hand of forgiveness and reconciliation can continue to provide an inspiration to us all, as we attempt to build a turly shared and inclusive society.”