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LAST UPDATE | 26 Apr 2023
TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR will travel to London next week to attend the coronation of the UK’s King Charles.
A spokesperson for the Taoiseach confirmed to The Journal that he would be travelling on behalf on the Irish Government.
“The Office of the Taoiseach can confirm that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will travel to London to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey on Saturday May,” the spokesperson said.
It comes just hours after Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Michelle O’Neill confirmed that she would attend the coronation next week.
Speaking to Sky News, the party’s leader in Northern Ireland said it was “important to honour the pledge [she] made to the public” during the Assembly election last year when she said she “would be a First Minister for all”.
“I think this is a fulfilment of that promise,” O’Neill said.
“There are those in our community that have a British identity and an allegiance to the monarchy and I think it’s important that I, as a First Minister for all, can be respectful of their viewpoint and and also I can represent all the people in our community.”
Alex Maskey, the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and another member of Sinn Féin, has also confirmed that he plans to attend the coronation.
The coronation is due to take place on 6 May in Westminster Abbey, where both Charles and his wife Camilla will be crowned.
O’Neill also attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in September.
In a statement this afternoon, O’Neill said: “I have accepted an invitation to attend the coronation of King Charles III.”
“We are living in a time of great change. A time to respect our differing and equally legitimate aspirations, a time to firmly focus on the future and the opportunities that the next decade will bring,” she said.
“I am an Irish Republican. I also recognise there are many people on our island for whom the coronation is a hugely important occasion.
“I am committed to being a First Minister for all, representing the whole community, building good relations between the people of these islands, and advancing peace and reconciliation through respectful and mature engagement.
“Therefore, as First Minister Designate, I will join President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, international figures, church leaders, other party leaders and the Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey for the coronation in London.”
Relations between republican leaders in Northern Ireland and the British royal family have slowly improved in more recent years, despite the clear ideological conflict that remains.
In 2012, a meeting between Martin McGuinness and Queen Elizabeth made waves as an event that many could never have anticipated in prior years as the two exchanged a handshake. They met again in 2016 in a move that was warmly welcomed by political leaders.
Additional reporting by Tadgh McNally
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Matt a nice guy but he is the establishment and has a D4 bias. Read his vitirol against McGregor yet relatively silent on his mate Hook.
Yates comes from privilege as stated himself in his book. Privately educated the silver cutlery set from his mouth not just the spoon.
Banks good, unions bad, we have to pay for water ah sure give the government a chance….. same same same……. Social media will thrive with this insiders at the helm pontificating.
@John Stafford: Considering Cooper from Cork he done well for himself if he has embedded him in the D4 establishment.
@mickmc: reread my comment. You are extracting meaning where there is none.
The McGregor/ Hook difference is only one example where he suits a story to fit a ideology.
I have met Matt on numerous occasions he is a nice guy but he is full of bias. He defends power and often he defends the indefensible as he is a hack lacking journalistic integrity.
This problem is not confined to Matt and is not supposed to be a personal tirade just the awful state of journalism in this country.
Yates counts DOB as his personal friend.
Dead cat show.
To cut a long story short : you will not get debate here. You will get bias, propaganda and misdirection.
I am being too harsh here. I am sure TV3 are environment conscious and reckon that they can reduce their carbon footprint by asking fellow ” I want your land” Pat Kenny to give the lads a lift home after rehearsals.
Sure they live in the same direction, eat in the same restaurant s and covert in the same bankrupt circles.
Doing their bit for the environment.
@John Stafford: I will be giving this a miss. Don’t like either of them. They definitely won’t be filling Vincent’s boots.
Jobs for the boys as usual! What is News?
@Bernadette Purcell: How dare they get jobs jist because theyre popular and experienced.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: they are yawn material.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: Agree whole-heartedly. If you are in the national spotlight, you will have as many haters as supporters. Bernadette would prefer some long-time Dole mule to get the job, despite the fact they dont want to work.
@Larry Fitzwell: I’d say your surname refers to how well your lower orifice accommodates your head.
It will be a pile of S@$te no doubt, pretty much like every tabloidish tripe that comes out of TV3, the only successful programme ever made on this ghastly station was tonight with Vincent Browne. Matt and Ivan are no Vincent’s , it will be a train wreck, Matt probing the nicetees of his guests, Ivan trying to concut conspiracies/ controversies even from the most mundane guests.
@Joseph Dempsey: What is the point of you? Writing something off before you have seen 1 minute of it!!! Must be hard to live with all that bitterness inside you?
@Larry Fitzwell: god bless you Larry, is that it, is this all you can contribute? It would normally take 10 seconds of my time to respond to anything TV3 has to offer but I was busy warming my redibrex. As an aside perhaps you could name a single production of quality that has come out of this station? It’s nothing but a cheap advertising bill board. Your final inference re living with bitterness has a disturbing undertone so doesn’t merit comment but I can assure you I live a deliriously happy life.
Life is far to short to spend even ten seconds listening to them two posh boys.
I’m expecting a cringe fest
Let’s hope they stick to the current affairs and it doesn’t become a quasi sports affair…there is enough of that on st the weekend.
It sounds awful. Iwouldn’t be bothered watching. Two DOB employees, one an ex-Fine Gael minister.
For the love of god, does everything have to be called “Today” or “Tonight” or The Daily Tonight Show” or some combination of the above!
As someone who get up early in the morning I can’t see myself getting to see too much of it if it’s starting at 11pm
It’s on too late. Why do both RTE and TV3 schedule current affairs programs when most people are heading off for a night’s sleep. Why aren’t these programs shown earlier in the evening instead of feckin Frock Finders and other similar dross.
POLL:
Will you be watching? Come on predictable journal
Mick Clifford : the only man for he job,This pair it will be all cosy and chummy with a few insider barbs exchanged,well that’s showbiz folks.
Will Enda be the first Guest
They are obviously not targetting the workimg audience, the people who get out of bed early have to be in bed by 11
Hope you’re opinionated and as bullish as ever Ivan,not a watered down version
It is an American approach, with 2 questioners of different view points, the purpose of which is to create an entertaining polarisation of outlook.
It is current affairs as light, very light, entertainment.
Who will do the nasty old guff and blather, refelecting the voice of prejudice and anti rationality?
How about discussing the witch hunt that was George Hook where you can’t even voice your opinion on the radio.
I’m not a fan of either of them, I can’t even listen to them on the radio but I’ll have a look at the show and see how it goes.
Better that than “a table with four walking legs,” like I experienced at a seance one night. Straight up. I announced I wasn’t convinced and the whole thing was a scam. A few minutes later I felt the pressure of (heavy) wood nudging me. No pulleys or other devices were in evidence…
have your say