Olivia O'Leary Speech: Queen Elizabeth II Visit

Veteran broadcaster OLIVIA O'LEARY's speech on the Queen's visit at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Olivia O Leary
• Queen
• Convention Centre
• Dublin
• Visit
• May 2011
• RTE
• Journalist

[fishingkayaking]

Good speech & summary of a historic visit. Nothing but respect for the Royals after this ! Laying a wreath & bowing for those who fought & died for Irish Independence & for 50k Irishmen who died in WW1, Speaking Irish & acknowledging \ regretting her countries past wrongs did it for me. Previously I was sceptical & neither liked or disliked them but they things I saw & heard this week caused a shift in my mindset . Anybody I talk to feels the same ! Northern Irishman

[breedak]

@deGency Thank you for your thoughtful response. This was a brave speech by Olivia; it didn't hide behind euphemism, it poked "gentle fun" as you rightly say, at each countries own proprietorial sensitivities and it also opened to the door to critical historical reflection for both nations and people. It was a great week to be Irish and to be British. Hats off to our President and your Queen for a job well done and to Olivia O'Leary for marking it humourously and intelligently.

[enzedbrit]

@RonainMacCathain What is your definition of freedom if not self government and the right of the majority of people in a particular region to determine by which government they wish to be ruled?

[Yankeegator]

One less heretic in the New Israel... The waters are nasty and deadly off of Peter's Barque Ms. O'Leary ...

[RonainMacCathain]

Britain still occupies six Irish counties, has its military on Irish soil and still denies Irish freedom. Welcoming their head of state while Ireland remains unfree is a bending of the knee. I wonder will the Royal Telifis Eireann employee reading this comment allow it to be posted?

[stalbanslad]

What a truly wonderful speech. I'm a great-grandson of a protestant from Cork, but my blood is basically English. I ran away from bombs in London twenty years ago and got used to seeing pictures of people being torn assunder in all parts of our shared islands. Olivia O'Leary said things I can't say to Her Majesty because I am, in my heart, Her subject.....but Olivia spoke for all of us, I hope. A thousand million hopes. God Bless Ireland and God Save The Queen.

[gaiamethod]

Olivia is my father's first cousin and I heard family history I didn't know!!! She did a good job of this. Fearless and honest. Proud of her!!!

[petarphyle]

Great video

[JohnAdams198805]

she use to be in my mums class :D

[magpie4321]

Classy lady!

[hgmanning1862]

I admit to being worried as she started the speech. Clearly, Ms. O'Leary's family has been at the front of the defense of Ireland in times past and, if pushed, would be today, obviously. Therefore, her words must carry added weight. Perhaps that is the reason, in the end, I was left with feelings of both decorum and mutual respect by her speech before the Queen. Ireland, standing as an equal among nations, honoring the head of state of another nation. What can be more independent?

[lac6480]

@geogchick the music u hear is by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin..ITS CALLED WOODBROOK ALBUM CELTIC MOODS..HOPE IT HELPS :)