CIRA ‘will resist’ visit by British queen

SPECULATION that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will visit Ireland next year was dismissed yesterday by Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue.

“It has never been discussed at Cabinet,” he said.

Included in the speculation was that she would visit Killarney, retracing the steps of one of her predecessors, Queen Victoria, who spent four days there in 1861.

A group styling itself the Kerry Command of the Continuity IRA has issued a statement threatening her safety should she visit Ireland. The statement was accompanied by a photo of three men with weapons and wearing balaclavas and paramilitary dress.

“The Queen of England is not welcome and any such visit shall be resisted with all the force at our disposal,” the statement said.

“The Kerry Command view with concern the preparation of public opinion for a visit to the county by the Queen of England next year to follow the footsteps of Queen Victoria.

“We wish to state that we are totally opposed to any such proposed visit and speculation of such a visit must be viewed as yet further evidence of a desire to normalise British rule in Ireland.”