King Charles has held an audience with the President of Ireland at Buckingham Palace, marking the start of a three-day official visit to England. The monarch met Catherine Connolly on the first day of her engagements, which will also take her to Leeds.
Warm Welcome at the Palace
The pair were photographed shaking hands and smiling for cameras at the palace. Earlier, Ms Connolly remarked that there is "hardly a sector" of British life that has not been influenced by the Irish. This visit is her first official trip to England since her inauguration in November, when she expressed her commitment to engaging with the Irish diaspora.
Visit to Irish Cultural Centre
The visit began on Monday with a trip to the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, west London. There, she delivered an address and met participants in an Irish language class. In her speech, she highlighted the diverse contributions of the Irish to British society, spanning arts, healthcare, education, construction, and professional services. She noted that "there is hardly a sector of the economy or an area of life that has not been touched by the Irish here in Britain."
Ms Connolly also commented on historical immigration patterns, stating, "Historically, modern-day immigration was driven by economic factors, with large numbers leaving Ireland for London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and elsewhere. This occurred in waves and we know that from the 19th century and the 20th century, and unfortunately today as well, we have people leaving our shores for various reasons, but some of them for lack of housing."
Reactions from the Irish Community
Aengus Collins O'Malley, 49, praised the president for "reaching out to the Irish diaspora." He said, "She is our head of state and she is an individual who is known for promoting the Irish language." When asked about Anglo-Irish relations, Mr Collins O'Malley, who teaches history on Michael Collins at the centre, remarked, "They are always great when the Tories are not in power."
Oisin Moroney, 21, who performed an Irish dance for Ms Connolly, said, "It was great for her to come here. I was grateful to be able to welcome her into the country. You always get that bit of nerves but as soon as I started dancing, they just went away." Mr Moroney, born to Irish parents in Hammersmith, described growing up "as Irish as you could be without growing up in Ireland."
Larry O'Leary, 74, chairman of the Mayor of London's St Patrick's Festival Community Advisory Board, said, "I love the way she promotes the Irish language at every opportunity. She is not afraid to speak her mind." He added that her visit "shows you how much the president and her office care about maintaining Irish culture."
Diplomatic Engagements
The Irish ambassador to Britain, Martin Fraser, and Deirdre Fraser will host a reception on Monday evening in honour of Ms Connolly and her husband, Brian McEnery, at the Irish embassy in London. The visit continues on Tuesday with trips to the Chelsea Flower Show and the London Irish Centre in Camden. It will conclude on Wednesday with visits to Leeds University and the Leeds Irish Centre. In Leeds, Ms Connolly will be briefed on the work of the Irish Health Centre there and meet representatives of other Irish centres in the region.
This is the third official visit the president has undertaken since beginning her term, following visits to Northern Ireland and Spain.
