Rebels stay home as Cork turns out in welcome
Unlike the streets of Dublin, which were eerily quiet during her visit, Cork was bursting at the seams with a mix of young and old, excitable tourists, the very interested and some vaguely bemused locals.
If you looked hard enough, you could even see a smattering of Union flags. One group huddled outside Argos in Daunt Square were determined to catch a glimpse of the Queen as she entered the English Market.
Originally from England but now living in Urlingford, Dominic McLoughlin made the trip to both Dublin and Cork for the visit.
“It’s been a great occasion all week I think. We live about halfway between Dublin and Cork so we decided to head to both cities. There are a few of us here from Britain so it’s been great. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the Queen set foot on Irish soil.”
Closer to home, elderly friends Eileen Lenihan and Agnes Whyte travelled from Youghal for the visit.
Carrying a Burger King crown — which were being handed out for free — both felt the visit was something to be celebrated.
“We left Youghal at 9.20 and we had our breakfast here,” said Eileen.
“It’s great. I would have never thought I’d see the queen visit Cork but I think the city has done itself proud and it’s a great day out.”
Both women had watched the special concert for the Queen at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Thursday and had decided they had to be in Cork for her visit to the Rebel County.
“There is an 80-year-old lady dressed like the Queen around today too. We had our picture taken with her,” said Agnes, with a laugh.
Eileen added: “I watched the concert with her last night. She really is a beautiful looking woman. It was very funny when Mary Byrne asked her if she had watched the X-Factor and she just said ‘No’ and moved on.”
Women from a younger school-going generation were throwing their schoolbags on the ground in a vain effort to get some much needed extra height as the Queen made her way up Grand Parade. Not that they were supposed to be there.
A group of teenage girls in uniform, when asked if they off for the day, just laughed. But one went on to admit: “No, we just decided to take it off.”
Once the procession of cars approached from the opposite side of Grand Parade, it was clear to all in Daunt Square that they weren’t going to get the best view of proceedings.
Cue a frantic rush to the more sedate setting of the big screen in St Patrick’s Street where a calmer crowd had gathered to watch the strange sight of Elizabeth II being introduced to an array of fish just metres away in the English Market.
One onlooker enjoying the royal show was Maeve Cahill, who was with her two children Rory and Eoin and mother Maura O’Driscoll.
“I think it’s a proud day for Cork. We didn’t have to come far, just from Blackrock, but it’s so well organised and everyone is having a great time. It’s lovely. Plus I wanted to see how she looked. She has a great style to her, I must say,” she said.
For those who didn’t see the Queen on Grand Parade, Washington Street was the place to be. On her way to the Tyndall Institute her Range Rover passed slowly so she could wave to cheering onlookers.
Some of them even belted out a few bars of The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee. Strange days indeed.
