A once-unthinkable moment of history

The historic handshake between the British Queen and Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, together with his words of blessing as they said goodbye, have been hailed as a watershed moment for Irish-Britishrelations.

The encounter between the former IRA commander — now Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister — and Queen Elizabeth II was unthinkable a little over 10 years ago.

However, the success of the peace process and the Queen’s acclaimed visit to the Republic last year paved the way for their meeting.

The Queen and Mr McGuinness first shook hands away from the media spotlight behind closed doors at a cultural event in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre.

As the Queen left the venue they shook hands again, this time in public, as Mr McGuinness offered parting words in Irish.

During their initial private meeting Mr McGuinness is said to have commented briefly on the Queen’s visit to Dublin last year, and in particular the comments she made recognising all the victims of the conflict.

A Sinn Féin spokesman said: “He emphasised the need to acknowledge the pain of all victims of the conflict and their families.”

Mr McGuinness is said to have spoken to the Queen of the significance of her visit, and of the need for it to be built upon.

The party said Mr McGuinness told the Queen their meeting was a “powerful signal that peace building requires leadership”.

Their first meeting took place in a room within the Lyric Theatre during an event celebrating the arts. It lasted about five minutes.

They were joined by President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, the Queen’s husband Philip, and Peter Robinson, the North’s first minister.

The McGrath Suite is usually filled with toddlers enjoying story-telling sessions or drama students taking part in workshops.

However, yesterday it was sparsely furnished with leather seating — four chairs and a sofa — set around a circular wooden table decorated with flowers.

The floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on to landscaped gardens and the River Lagan were covered with curtains.

The Queen emerged from her meeting to view a series of large portraits in the theatre and meet artists associated with cultural life in Ireland.

As he left the venue, Mr McGuinness, who has been accused by hardline critics of compromising his beliefs by meeting the monarch, told reporters: “I am still a republican.”

Asked what it was like to meet the Queen, he added: “Very nice.”

Peter Sheridan, of the Co-operation Ireland charity that organised the event, said it was an example of peace-building. “It was a very relaxed atmosphere, the very ordinariness of it, even if it was not ordinary people,” he said.

“It is certainly a seminal event between people on this island and between these islands.”

Renowned poet Michael Longley was at the event, and said of the handshake: “I think it’s very significant. To dismiss this as theatrical is nonsense — a handshake is a handshake, no matter who you are.

“I think it carries on from her visit to the Republic and the fact that she met Mr McGuinness, who has made a huge contribution to the peace process, is very important.”

Mr Higgins said the handshake was of symbolic importance: “The exchange of greetings and courtesies that took place this morning marks another important step on the journey to reconciliation on this island.”

Former prime minister Tony Blair, who oversaw the Good Friday Agreement, welcomed the handshake between Mr McGuinness and the Queen but noted how the encounter was difficult for the royal family given the IRA murder in 1979 of Lord Mountbatten.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said: “I think the significance will be seen in how much we can build upon it.

“I think the vast majority of unionists will be pleased that this happened because they know it’s essentially a real gesture, beyond the rhetoric, towards their sense of identity and their sense of allegiance.”