Well, I for one have never felt safer. Shame the same can't be said for me gaff... These are just a selection of candid shots taken by various entertainment.ie and Fusio staff en route to work this morning. The arty ones were taken by Remi. He's French. Naturellement.
The most mesmerising sight of all had to be O'Connell Street. There was Gardai as far as the eye could see. And that was just at the junction of O'Connell Bridge; there was the same amount again at the junction of Abbey Street, Talbot Street and Henry Street; the same again outside the GPO; and that was even before I managed to look skyward... apparently the rooftop of Penny's is teeming with high-vis jackets.
So, what's The Queen up to today? She'll be arriving in Baldonnel airport and then whisked away to Aras an Uachtarain for a "ceremonial welcome", which I believe is code for flybys, lots of marching bands, etc. She'll have lunch with perennial president and her "housebound" before heading off to "one of the most significant engagements of the trip - a visit to the Garden of Remembrance - where she will lay a wreath at the memorial, which commemorates those who died in pursuit of Irish freedom. Her final public engagement today will be a visit to Trinity College."
RTE news reports that, while being interviewed on Morning Ireland, "Taoiseach Enda Kenny said those opposed to the visit were entitled to protest, but added that he hoped they would not embarrass the country."
This has fallen somewhat on deaf ears (must be hard to hear with those woolly balaclavas) considering there's been a bomb threat issued for London. There's also been an "improvised explosive device" located on a bus travelling from Mayo to Dublin. The device was located when the vehicle reached Maynooth. There's also been a "suspect package" found on the Luas Red Line in Inchicore...
A former Irish intelligence officer warned the Queen's visit was the "last chance saloon" for a movement that probably has no future. "The dissidents know that this is really their last chance saloon, as we're probably in the death throes of militant republicanism," Decklan Power told Sky News. "They're becoming increasingly irrelevant to their cultural heartland in the fringe areas in the north and one or two areas in the south. That's why it's also one of the most dangerous times."
Dissidents aside, what do the vast majority of us Irish think of The Queen's visit? Also speaking with Sky News, historian Diarmaid Ferriter said: "It's estimated that 1.3 million people in the Republic watched bits of the recent Royal Wedding between Kate and William. There is that huge sense of a popular interest in the Royal family, kind of a gossipy interest in the Royal family. But at the political level I think most people are recognising now that the narrative has changed, that this represents the culmination of the peace process."
What do you think? Televised coverage of the visit kicks off on RTE1 at 11.40am - but could you give two hoots?