27/06/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Donna Traynor and Sarah

Travers, on the second day of the Queen's Jubilee visit. Today's main

news The hands of history - the Queen and Martin McGuinness in an

unprecedented meeting in Belfast. The clean-up is underway after

20,000 people passed by the Stormont estate to welcome the

Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, making their tour in an open-top

car. The Royal couple try the latest big tourist attraction at

Titanic Quarter. Tensions have fled in Belfast as Republicans protest

at the Royal visit. Despite thunder and lightning, we have got calm

before the storm. Weather warnings are in place for tomorrow. I will

have the latest forecast shortly. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee visit

has finished with an open-air party for the public, but it was another

event which had the greatest political and historic significance

today. An unprecedented meeting and shaking of hands between mice and

McGuinness, a lifelong Republican and former IRA leader and the Queen.

-- Martin McGuinness. In fact there was a private and a public

handshake. Mark Devonport has the story of that remarkable meeting.

An ordinary act of politeness, but one invested with enormous

symbolism. A handshake which took four seconds but could mark a new

passage in 40 years of history. In the 1970s, Martin McGuinness was an

IRA commander in Londonderry and in that decade, the Royal family

mourned the loss of Lord Mountbatten, murdered by a remote

controlled IRA bomb. Today, the Deputy First Minister exchanged

pleasantries with the Queen as she left the theatre. He told the Queen

that his Irish words meant goodbye and got's speed. -- got's speed.

His -- Godspeed. It went very well. The Royal couple were shown around

the theatre by Mark Carruthers in his role as chair of the Lyric

Theatre. With the first and Deputy First Minister and the Irish

President accompanying them, they examined portrait by local artists

and talked about the canvases. Sinn Fein said Martin McGuinness told

the Queen that the fact that they could meet was a powerful signal

that peace building requires leadership. The first minister

briefly took centre stage, showing the Royal couple Stormont's

official Diamond Jubilee gift, a pottery basket. The cameras were

not allowed to record sound but the Queen appeared relaxed and the Duke

of Edinburgh appeared keen to hurry on with the schedule. Later, the

first minister put the events of the day in context. I pick it is

significant. It is a taboo that has been cast aside. -- I think. We are

becoming a normal society. A handshake should not be something

that is unexpected and unusual. It was carried out respectfully and in

a dignified way. We had a pleasant conversation and we went on to

business. The first public handshake for Martin McGuinness and

the Queen becomes potentially the last and raised significant bit of

handshake diplomacy during the political process. -- most

significant. But the handshake made up just part of the Queen's Jubilee

visit today. Here is our correspondent at Stormont. Thank

goodness the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were not arriving out

because the heavens have opened. We have got under and lightning. It

would have been a complete washout for 20,000 people that camped

outside earlier. They are gone now, thankfully but they will be

delighted when they saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh touring

in an open-top car. It really was quite a spectacular event. It has

been a busy day for the Queen, who also went to Titanic Belfast. We

The Queen and the Titanic. Icons of the 20th century. The Royal party

was given a guided tour of life on board the luxury liner. The

shipyard roared into action. It took the Queen and the Duke back in

time to the heyday of the Titanic. This was the attraction's finest

hour since it opened in March. was a great opportunity to meet

somebody so important. The reigning monarch on her Jubilee. It will

never happen again and I am very pleased. Behind the scenes, she met

Ian Ainslie. -- Ian Paisley. She said, it is very nice to be here.

Other guests included some of the read through violence, like this

widower of a constable killed by the Continuity. I just can't

imagine this happening. Snapping a salute, this military man. This

veteran told the Queen that she had once changed the spark plugs on his

car in the Auxiliary Territorial services. LAUGHTER... I have had

two things in my life which are very important to me. The day I got

married and the day I met the Queen. She is a wonderful woman. I hope

she is here until she is 100. I said, we will be 100. She is

looking younger. 20,000 well- wishers at Stormont for the Royal

send off. This was the waving goodbye of the visit and the

The walkabout was brief and consigned to a few dignitaries.

Stormont's mile long drive provided a slow exit. This had been the

Queen's 20th visit to Northern Much better conditions them. We

will hear shortly from some of the people that were picnicking and in

the crowd cheering on the Queen today. Also at Stormont, the first

minister Peter Robinson, who welcome the Queen along with his

wife Iris. But we know that the First Minister was also at that

historic handshake which took place earlier at the Lyric between the

Deputy First Minister and the Queen. And in fact he said that it was up

to him to introduce the Deputy First Minister to the Queen. I

asked him if he thought 20 years ago he would see the day when he

was standing alongside a Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister and

introducing him to the Queen. years ago, you could not have had

an event like best. She could not have announced her coming. You

would not have had a Sinn Fein representative meeting Her Majesty

and his Royal Highness. It is very different and we have moved on.

would you describe the mood around the handshake? It was all carried

out in a convivial way. It was not done in a begrudging fashion on

either side. Do not forget, the cruel hand of Northern Ireland

history has touched the Royal Family and it was hard for them to

come to terms with as well. Did you recognise it was difficult for the

Deputy First Minister? We have to recognise it for the Republicans.

He left as much of -- as a Republican has he was when he

entered it. It is not demeaned by shaking hands with somebody. I

think people recognise that is a matter of an introductory

salutation. But the cameras were on that particular event. There is

great interest in what happened this morning. Clearly, but I think

it is more of an interest with the press. The most important event was

held here at Titanic. We are here to celebrate the Queen's Diamond

Jubilee. 60 years of tremendous national service. That is the

important message today and that overshadows any other issues that

took place during the visit, important though it was. How would

you describe the reception today? had the honour of being part of the

Royal Company. I was moving between venues. People were getting out of

their cars and they were enthusiastic. And we saw the

enthusiasm of the crowd today. enjoyed his day at Stormont. For

now, from a wet Stormont Estate, back to the studio. Coming up on

Newsline, we will look back at more of the scenes which have marked

theed two days with the Jubilee visit. Also... Joined me at Royal

Portrush for the Irish Open golf tournament, which is sold out for

A joint Tricolour erected by Republicans on the Black Mountain

in Belfast in protest at the Queen's visit was taken down

tonight. Organisers said they had made their point. There was trouble

when loyalists attacked the flag and tensions led to unrest last

night. It was taken down overnight but by mid- morning, it was back in

place. It was a bit battered after the disturbances last night. But it

went across the city. As far as Stormont, where preparations for

the last Royal engagement were underweight. Yesterday, 30

loyalists attacked a group of loyalists -- people by the fight.

This man had fractured ribs before escaping but he said he was not

deterred. We have shown that we are not interested in the monarchy and

the Queen of Britain. We are here as Irish people, displaying our

nationality and we are entitled to do that. There was trouble in the

west of the city. This confrontation ended with young

people attacking the police. Petrol bombs were thrown at officers and

nine were injured. The debris has been cleared up and be people

involved in the protest said that it was not a link to what happened

on the mountain yesterday and the trouble here. But it cannot be

ignored that such visible opposition contributed to a rising

of tension in the city. Be closest loyalist community to the protest

said that the display had been a clear provocation. You wonder what

the reasons are behind what has happened. It was in the face of

many thousands of people. Particularly with the arrival of

the Queen, it was difficult. lunchtime, this Republican turned

up to visit protesters. They promised to remove the Tricolour

when the Queen departed. Even as the Royal party departed, the flag

Relatives of 11 people killed by the army in Ballymurphy in 1971

have staged a demonstration against the Queen's visit outside Belfast

City Hall. Almost all the victims were shot by paratroopers during a

three day security operation in west Belfast. The Army said it

fired in response to gunfire from republican paramilitaries,

something the families have always rejected. The are calling for an

apology, and an independent inquiry into the shootings despite the

Secretary of State's recent decision not to hold one. We are

joined by our political editor at Stormont once again. We have

already had the reaction of Peter Robinson to that historic handshake.

What other reaction have you cleaned? There have done some

tensions. Not everybody thinks it is a good thing. You have people

who believe that the Jubilee celebrations were hijacked by the

handshake and others who believe that it was a right to counter the

Queen's a visit. We can speak to Gerry Adams, but before that, a

Owen Paterson. I think the vast majority of Unionists will be

pleased that this happened because they know it is essentially a real

gesture beyond the rhetoric towards a cent -- towards some identity.

has obviously gone very well. This is about local politicians meeting

the head of state and it is absolutely appropriate that she

goes to every party in the United Kingdom and meets locally elected

politicians, whatever their views. How do you assess the significant

and -- the significance and the legacy of what happened? The it is

difficult to assess the practical consequences but some will say that

this is a time for the Europe up handshakes are not being celebrated

to end because this will become the norm. In terms of the electoral

project, as it were, to reach out to Unionists, this will serve a

We will let you get inside and to dry offer. It looks a very wet. --

dry off. Thousands of people went to see the Queen go past in her

open-top car. Our correspondent was there as people enjoyed the

festivities at Stormont. The people came to see their Queen and they'd

-- and she did not disappoint. was the best bit? Seeing the colour

of her uniform. Did you get a good view? Yes, we did. It was a

brilliant day. We have not been drinking! Some people grumbled a

bet when the royal couple got out of the open-top the heckle and

climbed into the bullet-proof car, but even then, she was clearly

visible as the motorcade moved slowly down Prince of Wales Avenue.

The sound of drums were ringing in her ears. It was a real find waiver

of a day and for some it was their first time in the company of

royalty. For others it was not. has been a long time since I had

anything to do with royalty. I was to do the funeral when the king

died. Unfortunately I was injured playing football and I cannot get

my boot on. In 1966 I worked with them at a school. We were invited

by the Duke of Edinburgh and we had a group of children with us. That

is something he will always remember. Of course it is. --

something you will always remember. She is a marvellous woman and has

had a marvellous life and come through it all smiling. This was

not all wellies and wet gear. was incredible. She tries to please

everyone. So you have respect for her? Yes. Long live the Queen.

it was back-slapping all around for the way the event went off with out

any major incident. We worked very closely with the Royal Household

and the Metropolitan police to make this possible and it was a special

time. The rain made an appearance but it did not dampen spirits. When

it was time to go home, the people The events of the last two days

have got the biggest reaction ever on our Facebook Page. You can join

the discussion at our Facebook Page. Now some of the day's other news. A

priest has been found not guilty of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old

girl in a parochial house in Londonderry 20 years ago.

Father Eugene Boland, from Omagh, was acquitted of all five charges

at Derry Crown Court after an eight day trial. The priest says he now

intends to return to ministry with his reputation and good name

restored. One of the men charged with

murdering Michaela McAreavey has been accused of lying to the court

and of making up his story. Avinash Treebhoowoon, a former room cleaner

at Legends Hotel where the Tyrone woman was killed, was giving

evidence at his trial in Mauritius. He alleges that during questioning

a senior detective threatened his wife, saying he would remove her

passport and send her to Ireland to be a wife to John McAreavey. Both

accused deny murder last year. A 32-year-old farmer has died

following an accident on his farm in Armagh. It happened at the farm

on Mowhan Road yesterday. The Health and Safety Executive is

One of Northern Ireland's best known golfers has criticised the

National Trust for launching a legal challenge to the decision to

approve the Bushnell the dunes resort. End-February the Department

of Environment approved the application ahead of the Irish Open.

Darren Clarke has entered the row about the golf resort which is a

long the Giant's Causeway. Our correspondent has been keeping up

with the story. Darren Clarke has just finished up on the 18th green

a short time ago and he has pitched into the row today. He has been

openly critical of the National Trust and the decision they have

taken against the five-star resort. I have been speaking to the

champion and here is what he had to say. To have a hotel like that, it

can only help. It is a no-brainer. I do not get where they are

blocking it. I think it is very unjust and unfair. Darren Clarke is

a pretty straight talker and a straight hitter of the golf ball,

unlike some of the amateur's he were playing today in the event.

They had a very enjoyable day nonetheless. We have been keeping

up with some of the golfers. The biggest grower on the first

team was reserved for the Open champion, but today the crowds were

here to see the stars of showbiz. did not have an invitation but it

is just one of those things. That is why an am -- why I am an amateur

and he is a professional. I will hopefully get a birdie before the

end of the day. This is amazing, such a turnout. The headline act

was undoubtedly Bill Murray. His playing partner enjoyed every

moment of their round. This is a great looking hole. Bill has played

with his younger brother and I have a younger brother playing so it is

a lot of fun. He is a lot of fun and a good golfer, actually. He has

a good game and it has been a joy to play with him.

Terry Smith was well used to the experience. How would you like to

take orders from her? Do you feel what I am feeling? The last time I

played here carry caddied for me and I played surprisingly well.

is all my fault if it goes wrong today! That you do not keep in

touch with people, if you do not call or write, you will never see

people again. Well, the locals were not sure what to make of him. A

special day for him, but also for the celebrity players. Fantastic. A

great crowd. It is a sanctuary. I have played here once before but to

play with John Daly and the crowd we are with, a great time.

famous faces might have provided the entertainment today, but it is

over to the rest of the local The man responsible for overseeing

the entire event is the chief executive of the European tour, Mr

George O'Grady. We have heard that the event is sold out for the next

four days. Can we have your reaction to that? We are very

pleased. It is very pleasing indeed. We have huge numbers and we have

not done this anywhere else on the European Tour. It should be pulling

together of many people in Northern Ireland to make this happen and we

want every spectator to have a great experience. As someone who

have their roots here, it must make you particularly proud as well.

Senior British Open was so Castle when it came here but this has

succeeded Our ambition. -- was successful. You have the Amateur

champion here. It is a tremendous achievement. We know how good the

course is here, but the conditioning of it is magnificent.

We feel very fortunate. Thank you very much. It has been a glorious

day. Rain is forecast for tomorrow. If you are coming, get here early

so you can see some of the big stars 80 off at around 10 o'clock

am. -- tee off at around 10 o'clock Do not talk about rain today. Let's

have the latest forecast. We have a some showers out there and we have

had some messages coming in on Twitter. Keep them coming. Send any

photographs if you can to give us an idea of what it does like where

you are. You can see the showers will continue this evening and

overnight. We will have another band of rain ready to come in but

it will not be a cold night. As we go into tomorrow morning, we have

this weather warning. There will be some persistent rain and some

rumbles of thunder as well, particularly through the first part

of the morning, and we could see some treacherous conditions on the

road during rush hour. It will turn dryer in the south. For the Irish

Open it will stay quite wet through the day. We might see some sunshine

towards the end of the day and temperatures will be cooler than

they were two days. Tomorrow evening, some Bunbury showers will

follow in behind the rain, but there will be some dry spells and

spells of sunshine as we going to Friday. Friday will bring a cooler

night, at 13 or 14 degrees, and some further outbreaks of rain as

well. There will be a scattering of showers around on Friday but there

will be some brighter spells and we are expecting the odd spell of

sunshine. It will be a cooler day and breezier as well. Not perfect

conditions for the Irish Open. If you are heading their bring an

umbrella just in case. There is some good news as we head towards

the weekend. Sunday we are expecting a mainly dry day and we