The sectarian divide has only deepened

AS a proud native of the west of Ireland and now resident in Belfast, I thought I would be indifferent to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the Republic.

However, witnessing this historic occasion, I grew increasingly uncomfortable. While her visit is seen as a coming-of-age for the state and in many respects this holds true, one cannot but feel that the events of the last few days have only further endorsed the partition of this island.

The wedge between southern and northern nationalists has deepened. As the Republic pursues its independence and rightly so, our northern nationalist brethren are increasingly being cast adrift.