President Mary McAleese yesterday paid her first official visit to Ballymena, in the heart of the Rev Ian Paisley's North Antrim constituency, where she fielded questions from grammar school students about her views on Nazism and unionism and whether a visit by Queen Elizabeth to the South would trigger Love Ulster-style disturbances.
There was speculation that her controversial remarks last year making comparisons between Nazism and Protestant sectarianism would trigger protests over her visit to this unionist-dominated town, often described as the buckle of the North's Bible Belt.
However, no such pickets materialised when she arrived yesterday afternoon at Ballymena Academy grammar school where she addressed the sixth form's politics, history and economics society. There were also suggestions that some of the students would boycott the occasion, but a school spokesman said there was a full attendance for the society yesterday. In fact, he added, yesterday's attendance was the biggest for a society event.
Other notables to speak at the school, which is the alma mater of Sir Roger Casement, include Dr Paisley, John Hume and PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde.
The school excluded the press from Mrs McAleese's address and question and answer session with more than 100 sixth formers, but her spokeswoman said the engagement was "very frank and open".
