Mary Robinson: Irish story will be well told by Higgins

Former president Mary Robinson said “the Irish story will be well told” during this week’s state visit to Britain by President Michael D Higgins, and “it will be a positive one”.

She said President Higgins will carry the “symbolic hopes and dreams” of Irish people and emigrant communities who had “suffered greatly” and were under suspicion in Britain for years.

Although this week’s visit is the first state visit to Britain by an Irish head of state, Mrs Robinson made the trip on a number of occasions during her presidency, meeting Queen Elizabeth once.