On a May Thursday afternoon eleven years ago, Queen Elizabeth was preparing to travel from Tipperary to Cork when a tweaking of her official itinerary was proposed. She was on the final afternoon of her four-day trip to Ireland, the first official state visit by a reigning British monarch since the foundation of the state.   Rendered giddy by the belief that their most optimistic expectations were being exceeded, her close advisors wondered if a walk-about might be added to the official programme. They were receiving updates about the large crowds gathering outside the English Market in Cork. The then 85-year-old monarch…

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