William of Orange was a more tolerant character than is often portrayed, director of the Waterford Museum of Treasurers Eamonn McEneaney told a gathering in the city last night for the official unveiling of a portrait of the English monarch."
William himself was not anti-Catholic. Personally he was quite tolerant and, as we all know, he was for a time allied with the Pope," said Mr McEneaney at the official unveiling of the restored paintings of King William III and King George I. The unveiling in the Waterford Museum of Treasures was performed by British ambassador Stewart Eldon, who paid tribute to the people of Ireland for their great expressions of sympathy following the London bombs.
He said the many expressions of sympathy and solidarity received at the British embassy, including the many floral tributes, typified the sense of fellow feeling and closeness that existed between the two countries.
The two paintings, commissioned by Waterford Corporation in the late 17th and early 18th centuries of the two kings, were just one example of the close historical links between Ireland and Britain.
"These paintings, along with the rest of the museum, symbolise and give concrete form to the extraordinary close connections that exist between the British and Irish peoples," said Mr Eldon.
"The relationship between the two countries is changing very fast. I think we've got rid of a lot of the historical encumbrances that have appeared over the past 800 years or so," he said. The paintings, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, had been in storage for more than 20 years in Waterford following the restoration of the City Hall.