Britain's prince Philip makes flying visit to Dublin

The UK's Duke of Edinburgh is to make a brief royal visit to Ireland today for a number of engagements.

Prince Philip will be guest of honour at an award ceremony in Dublin to mark the 21st anniversary of Gaisce – the President’s Award for young people - and the 50th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

President Mary McAleese will later host a private lunch in the Duke’s honour at Iveagh House on St Stephen’s Green.

The Duke is also expected to pay a courtesy visit to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Government Buildings.

Welcoming today’s official visit, the Green Party said it represented a further step in the normalisation of relations between Britain and Ireland.

The party’s foreign affairs spokesman, John Gormley, was Lord Mayor of Dublin when the Prince of Wales visited in 1995.

The TD said: “It is only right that President McAleese, who started her presidency as a bridge builder, should continue this process by inviting Prince Philip to this country.

“Hopefully the visit of Prince Philip is a precursor to a visit by Queen Elizabeth at a later stage.”

The Duke of Edinburgh made his first trip to the Republic in 1998 and also met President McAleese and Mr Ahern on that occasion.

It marked the highest-ranking royal visit since that of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911, 10 years before Ireland achieved its independence from Britain.