President of Ireland Mary McAleese speech at the Irish State Banquet for Queen Elizabeth II

[mandysroyalty]

What a great speech. Bravo! Being of strong English and Irish descent, it makes me very happy and proud that the two countries can be at peace and work together. President McAleese bluntly acknowledges the wrong that occurred, but she also acknowledged that being at peace and working cooperatively makes them both prosperous. Not just economically, but emotionally as well.

[RawJobber]

Who would of thought 20 odd years ago we would be here and that Gerry Adams and Paisley could sit and stand near each other. Two men I used to despise who I now have a lot of respect for.

[RawJobber]

Now you've got the scumbags in baraclavas who are still killing policemen and believing they are doing it for Ireland. That is not the Ireland I know. If anything only a small minority of terrorists don't want peace. I have all the time in the world for President Mary McAleese. Shame she ain't president no longer. She's done more for Ireland then the useless arse Brian Cowen.

[RawJobber]

Its like this which makes me proud to be British. Having grown up in Northern Ireland I know too well what it was like living amongst the The Troubles. My family was no different to many others who got caught up in the fire between IRA and loyalist. To me, IRA and UVF are both scum because they also killed their own and many innocent people. There is a thing which state you had to support one of the other. Forget that nonsense, I've always supported peace & unity for both countries.

[LarryFogarty]

A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY SHE WAS....THANK GOD SHES GONE...GOOD RIDDANCE

[Aviationnation10]

@ironbar100 fuck off

[mir2k9]

she didn,t do really anything for this country.We don,t even need a president its just more money for the taxpayers. 

[Aviationnation10]

@mir2k9 haha please educate your self...

[mir2k9]

@Aviationnation10 i am well educated i think you should educate yourself compared to other president of the world what does she do other then visit school and open parks .We have a taoiseach and that,s all we need whats the need for a president it just costs money to keep one.Its like the queen in england shes just a representative of a country nothing more

[Aviationnation10]

@mir2k9 haha you are clueless she has built more relationships with other countries than any taoiseach money grabbing cunt

[jratt2]

@mir2k9 What school is she visiting here?

The Office of President is untainted by the corruption of the Office of the Taoiseach, it is the last area of our government held in any respect by the people. The President also engages in trips abroad promoting Ireland with great success and at home the President helps to protect us citizens from the passing of bad legislation by government. So while the position is largely ceremonial, it is not exclusively so and it carries prestige abroad.

[LarryFogarty]

@ur right she is a WASTER

[hgmanning1862]

Very enjoyable to watch, listen and learn. I would hope that as a result of this unprecedented meeting by the heads of Ireland and Britain might come, at long last ,an atmosphere conducive to peace for Ireland - all of Ireland. It is often hard to hear the good angels of our nature when anger and hatred are allowed to shout them down. For me, my course will be to pray for a prosperous and peaceful Ireland.

[timujin02]

Well said, Mme President! You have a deep understanding and a deep wish for this reconciliation of the peoples of my ancestors' two home lands. Both nations are paving the way for a bright future of friendship of two equals walking side by side without the burdens of the past.

[davyjones68]

Respect to the Republic of Ireland,it's wonderful people,and fantastic and strangely sexy president,it's time to put old hatreds behind us and move forward together as equals,maybe one day with the power of the ballot and the pen you will be united with the North,at least we are talking now instead of mindlessly killing each other,and that can only bring your dream of unification closer.

[DrunkRubberDuck]

As I am a proud guest in the land of Ireland, I can only mention, but what I truly wish she would have mentioned that Ireland needs to be free, and it needs that freedom that United Kingdom still denies this small nation, that is what we, the people in Ireland want. It is after all, "our own".

[troytown100]

Amazing, the people who demonstrated agains the Queen's visit, supposidly in our name comprised skinhead, drug and/or alcohol induced out of work louts, the majority of who did not even know the words to Kevin Barry but yet the majority of them sported British First Division football T-shirts. Jesus if these clowns are to be the future leaders of a united Ireland give me the present situation anytime. The response to my comments regarding funding the upkeep of Northern Ireland speaks volumes

[therangersson]

THANKYOU 

[mcadam75]

Sane old story with your minority - you quote history but dont know much about it - dont be bound by the past - I feel sorry for you that you are - if u are referring to Northern Ireland - the democratic will of the majority will prevail as it should do - that is only right in a civilised world - I am so thankful that you and your archaic opinions are in a vast minority and that others are willing to move on - its a blessing for the Irish people that they no longer take you seriously!

[TomBarry192I]

@mcadam75 Nothing democratic about gerrymandering a border, bending it and fixing it to create a majority when there was no majority in the first place.

[TheCharlie359]

Both nations can now build a common future, independent and free but united in peace, God save the Queen and God bless the people of Ireland.

[bubzsie]

Lá Bródúil gan amhras ar bith! Lá Stairiúil!

[barrster]

@TomBarry1921 Those you support are murderers and we as a nation refuse to let criminals and cowards who murder innocent civilians claim to represent us.

Following the 1998 Good Friday agreement, a DEMOCRATIC referendum was held in Ireland on Articles 2 and 3 of our constitution. Those articles dealt with our territorial and sovereign claims over the North. In that referendum, 94% of those who voted agreed to give up articles 2&3 and any claim over that part of the island. 94%

IT'S CALLED D

[TomBarry192I]

@barrster Turn coats like you called the men of 1916 murderers and criminals. there was nothing democratic about partition or partitionist referenda. Republicans dont recognise the two states in Ireland created by a british gov so an agreement between both states is not going to make any difference over free national self determination of an all Ireland state that could rise up.

[troytown100]

TomBarry1921 wants Britain to pull out of Northern Ireland, fair enough but if they do can he tell us who is going to finance the 6 billion pounds a year it takes to keep Northern Ireland afloat? The Republic can't afford to keep itself so how can we find 6 billion a year to take on the North? Wake up and join us in the real world.

[TomBarry192I]

@troytown100 Yeah fuck freedom, we cant afford it.... jesus christ, its no wonder we are not free after 840 years with this kind of mentality.

[yudhistira1451991]

Long Live She Reign ! God Save the Queen ! God Save UK & Irish.

[mcadam75]

Im British - but I must comment on how great an ambassador your President is - her speech was impecable - I am proud of our relationship with Ireland - and as The Queen said we are neighbours so that relationship should be good. To see these two women conduct theirselves the way that they have was heart warming and has done more to advance peace and neutralise old tensions that surely should now have no place in a modern world: God bless the Irish!!

[nickdisney1]

@mcadam75 the people of ireland really took to the queen, as did she to us it seems, im so glad the visit went so well...wonderful week!

[TomBarry192I]

@mcadam75 We are not just neighbours, your government occupie part of Ireland's territory. People in France welcomed the Germans while France was under German occupation, they were put on trial for treason. If you want to be serious about peace urge your government which isnt elected in Ireland to get out and take its war machine with them.

[paul2922]

A long time coming... Great speech

[elky29]

I can only say one thing to our President.

Thanks for making me proud to be Irish.

[Science747]

God Bless Mary McAleese President of Ireland!

[nelosw20]

impeccable speech, I don't think she made even one mistake........ such a great ambassador for Ireland. Content was great too. Fair play Mrs. McAleese

[nelosw20]

@lukekhealth you're so cool with your one-liner. I can do this too heheh

[GOLD1702]

@nelosw20 dirty bastard!

[thekid1134]

thers so many people out there thats full of fucking shite

[thekid1134]

@thekid1134 .. and why did they not clap for the presidents speech

[deniro220]

@thekid1134 They did it got cut off on that video, it was coming

[TheCailindana]

It's days like this that make me proud to be irish

[TomBarry192I]

@TheCailindana Multi millionaires stuffing themselves at a banquet with the best food and wine and it makes you proud? I'm proud of the hundreds of Irish who marched on dublin castle in protest at this disgraceful waste of peoples money.

[Evan7893]

@TomBarry192I u mean the rioting maniacs throwning fireworks at gards and overturning cars? yes that is something to be proud of - they wasted much more money than the president

[TomBarry192I]

@Evan7893 You are quick to defend the rich, no wonder Ireland is in the state its in with spineless people like you rolling over. The riots are a result of inviting the head of the british state to Ireland while the British state still occupies part of Ireland. Any clown would see it was a recipe for trouble.

[thekid1134]

@TomBarry192I .. well said 

[Evan7893]

@TomBarry192I so u think we should have just let u idiots shoot the queen and be whiped off the face of the earth? wow ur a patriot and if u had ur way we would all be dead, does throwing bricks through windows make u feel like a true irishman?

[TomBarry192I]

@Evan7893 No I think she shouldnt have been invited. Mary McAleese caused the riots. The leaders of 1916 protested against the royal visit 100 years ago. Some tried to stone the kings carriage. If you lived 100 years ago you would have been angry at our patriots because you are a brit.

[TheCailindana]

@TomBarry192I so you think stoning someone is admirable? I thought that justice was only served the only way in the middle east. This video makes me proud because it shows how we are recognised as Britain's equals after hundreds of years. You can only win respect by peaceful means. Brian O'Driscoll and Seamus Heaney are greater patriots than any member of the so called IRA. Also if you are such a patriot cen fath go bhfuil tu ag labhairt as bearla?

[TomBarry192I]

@TheCailindana tá me ag foghlaim faoi láthair le 'buntus cainte'. Plenty of quislings are fluent as gaelige. Look at the blueshirt enda kenny. Ireland would be Britains equal if Britain allowed Ireland its independence after 840 years, but still they deny Irish freedom. Heaney writes poems, good stuff. O'Driscoll runs about with an egg shaped ball, what a patriot. The only patriots are the men and women who fight the British for Irish freedom and it goes on to this day.

[RoryRuFitz]

@TomBarry192I As a fellow Irishman Tom Barry1921 I can see your point. Tell me Tom in pursuit of Irish Independence (Full 32) could you condone another Omagh? perhaps another Bloody Sunday? or even another Dublin and Monoghan Bombings? I know I couldn't and the majority of people in this great Country will back that. This is the way forward, Diplomacy and negotiation not the murderous way of the I.R.A. They do not represent me nor the other 4.5 Million. Ireland grew up today you should to!

[TomBarry192I]

@RoryRuFitz People die in war I dont condone any civilian dying but crown forces are legitimate targets and always have been, but there is no need for war if Britain would peacefully withdraw from our land. Ireland is 6 million people not 4.5 million but I suppose thats the free stater mentality.

[RoryRuFitz]

@TomBarry192I Good man Tom you took the words straight out of my mouth "Britain would withdraw peacefully". You're actually a hypocrite and killing is killing no matter if he/she is a civilian, psni officer or what ever you so desire they are still human beings. And who are you to call me a free stater? I'm every bit as Irish as you are the only difference is I support seperation through peaceful means not the way of muder. Go back to your little mob of unemployed thugs.

[TomBarry192I]

@RoryRuFitz Mary McAleese was at a memorial dedicated to men who killed Irish policemen who served the british crown. Do you regard these men as murderers? You are a free stater. You swallow the RTE patronising bullshit, 'Ireland has grown up', 'we are now Britains equals'. What a load of crap. Britain slices this island in two using its military to defend its occupation. Its no wonder they can walk all over us so easy with people like you in the country.

[LarryFogarty]

@TomBarry192I ta tu ceart

[LarryFogarty]

@TomBarry192I ta tu ceart

[LarryFogarty]

@RoryRuFitz up the ra

[TheChrisg00]

@TomBarry192I your argument is not with the British, but with the Irish. You simply need to use your wit and charm to persuade a majority of the people in the north that they should join you. You haven't made a great start with your comments so far.

[Evan7893]

@TomBarry192I well 100 years ago we would have been right to riot but not now, those riots were because of an old hatred, what u are saying is that we should blame the queen because of what happened 90 years ago which she had no control over which is a foolish and childish outlook on life, and ur childishness is evident in the way u call me a brit - were i 12 years old i would be offended

[TomBarry192I]

@Evan7893 Windsor claims to reign over part of Ireland which denies Irish freedom today, not 90 years ago. The leader of 1916 James Connolly orginised protests in 1911 against 'george V' and he would have done the same today. He called anyone in Ireland who welcomed royals traitors, and i agree with him.

[boo7ish]

@TomBarry192I I was once like you but seriously,Iall I have to say now is that you're a jackass :)

[TomBarry192I]

@boo7ish Now you are a quisling

[Evan7893]

@TomBarry192I right but times have changed we have a free state now and we can choose to start more violence or just live in peace

[WakeTheBeast666]

@TheCailindana drinking as much as i want and not getting hangovers makes me proud to be irish

[RoryRuFitz]

@TheCailindana Never a truer word spoken! Here Here.