Ex-lord mayor was ‘gobsmacked’ when Queen agreed visit

“I THOUGHT ‘Oh shit, what are we going to do now?’”

That was the slightly undiplomatic, yet understandable turn of phrase from shocked former Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Mick O’Connell, when he got a phone call confirming Queen Elizabeth II had accepted his invitation to visit the city last May.

Mr O’Connell has revealed that “never in his wildest dreams” had he really expected the British monarch to accept the invitation, especially as it wasn’t made through the normal diplomatic channels.