The “Ryan’s Daughter” restaurant, managed by Garry and Geraldine Roche, is a well known and popular haunt of Cashel and Tipperary locals. The restaurant is also particularly well known to long distance travellers, who take a well deserved break, away from the busy, fast M8 motorway, on their journeys between Dublin and Cork.
Situated under the shadow of the Rock of Cashel, on the entrance to the historic Town of Cashel, (Well, that is if you are travelling from the Thurles side.) the chatter from patrons at this delightful little oasis today, was totally focused on the visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on Friday week.
N.Dennehy (Camera), G.Roche (Ryan's Daughter) and H.McInerney (Producer 'Nationwide.')
This morning, as I sat amongst the patrons at “Ryan’s Daughter,” enjoying a coffee and a hot scone, the excited chatter was pleasantly interrupted by an unexpected visit from RTÉ Television. Well known producer and reporter Helen McInerney and camera man Neilus Dennehy, were first to appear, much to the obvious delight of those present. They were soon joined by other much loved RTÉ personnel, who arrived in the forms of Mary Kennedy and Michael Ryan, all filming for RTÉ’s popular ‘Nationwide‘ programme.
Locals and visiting tourists, regardless, were pictured or interviewed, between mouthfuls of bacon and cabbage, salad sandwiches and tempting cream cakes.
Note, those wishing to view captured footage of this mornings visit to Cashel by RTÉ, should tune into the “Nationwide” programme, which will go out on air on Monday next at 7.00pm.
Meanwhile, in Cashel town, blossoming flowerbeds are already in place, road repairs are nearing completion and traffic signpost maintenance is fully complete. Everywhere men in yellow reflective jackets are to be observed with yard brushes, rakes and shovels, all totally focused on insuring that all things in the “Cashel of the Kings” will be “Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion,” well ahead of the eagerly awaited ‘Royal Visit.’
For those representing left wing republican politics, and who plan to protest at Her Majesty’s visit to Cashel, be warned, your presence will not be observed with any welcome by Cashel locals and will be damaging to the cause, well that’s if the conversations I overheard this morning are anything to go by.
The ears of Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) leaders must have burned. Praise was being heaped on them, for recognising that the queen’s visit to Croke Park, in Dublin, is intended as a moment of reconciliation with the GAA over Bloody Sunday, which saw 13 spectators and one player, latter Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan, shot dead. Praise was also being heaped on the GAA, for spearheading the building of a bridge between the British establishment and an organisation that was founded to roll back English influence in Ireland. Some remarked that the queen’s visit will be as significant as the GAA’s 2001 decision to remove the ban on members of the British military and the Northern Ireland security forces from playing Gaelic games.
Locals I spoke to on the streets, later in the day, were 100% unanimous, Queen Elizabeth is welcome to visit Cashel or any other part of Co Tipperary, at anytime. As one commentator put it, “What’s all the fuss, sure Queen Elizabeth is a native of Thurles, Co Tipperary anyway, if anyone cared to check.”
Tipperary is often referred to as the“Premier County,” a description once attributed by Young Irelander Thomas Davis, editor of The Nation newspaper in the 1840’s, and it was he who also stated that “Where Tipperary leads, Ireland follows.”
Whats the big deal about Lizzie. When in recession many of us were glad to hit England for work. We were treated very well. Made a few bob and were able to return when things got better.