Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Queen drops into Queen's

The Queen unveiled a stone in the black and white hall of Queen's today to mark the University's centenary year. The Royal visit, which was part of a three-day trip to Northern Ireland was quite low-key as regards news coverage however. A visit to East Belfast today and Armagh Cathedral tomorrow have received more press interest.

Among the guests were outgoing First Minister Ian Paisley, Irish President Mary McAleese as well as various high-flyers in the world of business including founder of Galen, Allen McClay. The Queen arrived in a black landrover swarmed by security around lunchtime today, leaving some two hours later.

A number of student councillors were also given the opportunity to be present at the event. It seems however that the visit was planned some months before a motion was passed at council to invite the Queen to the University (see post below).

Queen's hasn't seen such a high security presence since the then President of the US, Bill Clinton made a historic visit in 1995 (see picture).

38 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Disgraceful. Clinton was a world class influential man of action...the Queen is a nobody who has done NOTHING of substance. Her presence should not be held in such high esteem...at QUB of all places. Loved watching her unveil the words of Seamus Heaney...priceless. Also loved the footage of Thomas Hogg et al flying their union jacks...cringe cringe cringe.

3/19/2008 11:49 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Moderate nationalist aka Ciara Helferty

Please get a life. Atleast 3 of the sabbatical officers had the good manners to turn up and show some respect.

God help us when you are president.

3/20/2008 10:03 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm - Simons, either you are an idiot or someone who really has a massive chip on your shoulder about ciarnan.

Even monkeys could see that 'moderate nationalist' is someone trying to do an impersonation (and a bad one at that) - People must really be sad when the best thing they can think of doing with their time is impersonating Ciarnan Helferty.

3 words: GET A LIFE.

3/21/2008 2:39 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not Ciarnan...i'm not even male in fact.

respect for what?

3/21/2008 2:40 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whether people like it or not, the Queen has more than a right to come to QUB and indeed any part of Northern Ireland - she is the head of state - and no one can take that away from her or the loyal people of Northern Ireland. If the Queen shouldn't be allowed to come to Queen's, what right does Mary McAleese have to attend in her capacity as President of the Republic of Ireland.

And before anyone says anything, i am NOT a member of the DUA or any political association.

3/21/2008 4:02 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am NOT ciarnan helferty or an im personator of ciarnan helferty. I'm glad he was elected as president. I think he is a very pleasant person who really does care about the union. I'm so frustrated! I was merely stating my views, and all you can say is that I'm trying to be someone else. If I was more courageous I'd state my name. But unfortnunately I'm not.

3/21/2008 9:20 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

could you not have done a better report on such a big event! and get some better photos!?!?!

3/22/2008 5:54 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This all reads somewhat like a movie

"I am Spartacus / Helferty"

Anyway he's from Doire so the chances of him saying he's a "MODERATE" nationalist are slim, up there thats worse than saying that you play cricket or rugby union.

Enough of this Queen chat,, sure the oul doll is past it, the fact that im payin money toward her zippin around the world is a bit of a pain in the orse but sure ITS MONEY WELL SPENT if i get to see Hogg and the lads lookin pure well infront of the cameras.

Adorable,, and they've all improved their tie selection of late.

3/22/2008 7:27 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I must agree that Hogg etc. with the union jacks was entirely cringeworthy.......

3/23/2008 3:02 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wind-yer-neck-in I wonder who you are trying to impersonate!

It's not half obvious!

3/23/2008 7:31 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yeah Hogg should be well and truly embarrassed at his and his cronies antics. It was like watching a group of dirty old men from the countryside getting all excited in a lapdancing club.

vomiticious.

3/24/2008 4:35 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

here's a clue...

I'm a moderate nationalist from Co. Tyrone.

3/24/2008 4:37 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why did the YUs under the leadership of Messrs. Sillyday and Ovens allow the DUA to completely dominate this event?

I'm sure Thomas Hogg and his boys and girls from the DUA are laughing their pants of at the state of thr UUs.

3/24/2008 10:06 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"dominate the event" , as if the event actually matters at all... unionists live in such small, petty worlds.

3/26/2008 5:27 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The cat's message has me flummoxed. Could the cat please re-write?

Thanks.

3/26/2008 10:07 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course it was an event.

Seamus Heaney unveiled new verse!

3/26/2008 10:18 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And what beautiful verse it was...

Pity about who had the honour of witnessing this unveiling.

3/27/2008 3:34 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well said Bernie! How's things? Thanks for my A in A level English!

3/27/2008 3:50 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!! Moderate nationalist wins the worst and least convincing pseudonym award for 07/08 on the gown.

We all know who it is and what party he is from despite trying pathetically to throw the scent off by slagging himself and his ideals off by claiming to be female and not a member of a political party.

3/29/2008 3:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Cat = (not so) Moderate (or) nationlist

3/29/2008 3:23 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It seems to me that this was such a waste of time and effort, the only decent thing about it was that it was during the Easter break, so it caused the smallest disturbance.

As for the BBC, I think they must be seriously bored now the Troubles are (sort of) finished - on Newsline (and to a lesser extent on UTV Live), they first tried to start a row over what Mary McAlese said about a royal visit to the Republic, something that none of the British or Southern papers/stations even mentioned and wasn't anything new, the same thing's been said for the past 86 years, that "until a decent state exists in the north, you can stuff your royal visit!"

And in the same bulletin they tried to make out that it was an exclusive that Seamus Heaney isn't too fond of old Lizzie Windsor, when pretty much every poem he has ever written has nationalsit undertones!

What a shower of wasters - hopefully the Gown team will stay well away from them when they finish here!

3/30/2008 6:17 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"pd voter" = "moderate nationalist"

Your not fooling anybody!

3/31/2008 4:57 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wrong again.

Why are you so intent on trying to say I'm someone that I'm not.

I'm a tall blonde English student. Female. Not a male member of the executive.

3/31/2008 10:10 pm  
Blogger b.f. said...

It's still surprising to many people in the United States that there's still a royal family being given special privileges in the UK and in the Six Counties. But speaking of privileged royalty and campus security, there's going to be a commemoration of the 1968 Columbia Anti-War Student Revolt in New York City on April 24-27,2008 to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Columbia Student strike against Columbia University's complicity with the U.S. war machine. See the following link for the schedule of commemoration events:

http://www.columbia1968.info

4/01/2008 3:34 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Moderate nationalist is neither tall nor female but he does fit the Stereotype of a blonde if he thinks he's fooling anybody!

4/01/2008 3:54 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

bob feldman....I fell asleep reading your comment.

yawn.

4/02/2008 8:38 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seriously...get with the programme.

I'm NOT a member of the executive.

What makes you think I am?

4/02/2008 8:41 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seriously read what I have written!

I never said you were a member of the SU Executive but you are a student councillor!

Sleep Mc Snooze = Moderate Nationalist

4/03/2008 1:55 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clinton sucked.

Oh, no wait...

4/03/2008 2:41 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll tell you what's disgraceful, the attacking of Christ in the Blog. Leave Christ out of your rants!

4/03/2008 5:48 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

unconvinced googler...

I'm not a student councillor.

But right now, I don't even know who the hell I am whatwith everyone on this trying to tell me I'm someone I'm not!

aaaaaargh.

4/06/2008 1:51 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

concerned alderman-

aka nathan anderson

only you could come off with such crap.

Please get a life. god doens't exist.

4/08/2008 12:45 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doesn't the queen own queen's??? she's allowed to visit her own house...and her own country. I bet she probably owns the south too. Definitely.

What about a story on Bertie Ahern stepping down?? He's more important than the queen.
The Gown covers unionist issues far too much. Can you please look at Brian Cowen's face!

4/09/2008 12:41 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what is intersting to note above is that the past three posts have been posted more or less at the same time each day 1.51 AM 12.41AM and 12.45AM. This is not definite proof but it is suggestive that the previous three posts are by the same person!

In other words find out who Moderate Nationalist is you find out who the others are.

4/09/2008 1:21 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is very telling is these two very important phrases.

"get a life."

"god doens't exist."

What is interesting about them is that they have appeared time and time again on the Gown. If one looks at previous posts they will find that those with these phrases contain the same type of language time and time again. This infers that they are the same person again and again and again.

So if you find out who has written the above post you find the key to many many more.

4/09/2008 1:40 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh God,

I can't believe my eyes, people are now analyzing the times posts are made at and the language used in order to try to deduce who is saying what.

Some people seem to have too much free time. You all must have degrees or jobs or something more worthwhile than spending you days trying to identify blogging patterns on the Gown? No?

4/09/2008 10:04 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

get a life, god doesn't exist...have i proved the system right???

FREE TIBET!

4/10/2008 1:09 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heh heh!
From the comments above looks like someone's cage was rattled!

4/10/2008 6:16 pm  

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