Former US president Mr Bill Clinton will make an informal visit to the Republic and Northern Ireland next week.
|
|
Mr Bill Clinton
|
Mr Clinton - who is expected to be accompanied by his daughter Chelsea - will arrive on Sunday and spend the evening as the guest of Mr Gavin O'Reilly at Dromoland Castle.
On Monday morning he will make a short visit to Áras an Uachtaráin for a meeting with the President Ms Mary McAleese.
Mr Clinton will deliver the eighth annual Independent lecture at Trinity College Dublin at 8 p.m. on Monday evening.
He will meet with the Taoiseach privately in the afternoon. A ceremony in honour of Mr Clinton's contribution to the Peace Process will be held in Dublin Castle on Tuesday evening.
Senator George Mitchell, the Taoiseach and more than 200 guests will attend the £1,000 per person event. All proceeds will be donated to the Northern Ireland Fund for Reconciliation.
Mr Clinton is scheduled to travel to Derry on Wednesday with Senator Mitchell where he will meet with Mr John Hume.
While in Derry Mr Clinton will conduct a walk-around the town to greet residents and will also meet with ENCORE, a group studying peace in conflict in Magee University.
On Thursday he will travel to Belfast, where he will receive an honorary Law doctorate from Queen's University, Belfast in a graduation ceremony in his honour.
Later that evening Mr Clinton will attend the launch of the Queen's University of Belfast Foundation, of which Senator Mitchell is patron.
Now a private citizen, Mr Clinton's visit is expected to be low-key and he will be attended by a small number of personal staff. He is scheduled to play a couple of rounds of golf on Sunday afternoon.