Queen thanks her Irish hosts for an 'unforgettable week'

QUEEN ELIZABETH has described her trip to Ireland as an “unforgettable week” and she has been expressing her gratitude to her Irish hosts in a series of letters.

In a letter to John Osborne, chief executive of the Irish National Stud, she described her short visit to the stud as a “wonderful highlight of an unforgettable week”.

Her visit to the Irish National Stud was made memorable by her husband Prince Philip’s insistence that Henry, the mechanical horse, which is used as a jockey trainer, be turned up to the highest level to see how fast it could go. In her letter she described it as a “colourful and lively visit”.

The letters have been sent by the deputy private secretary Edward Young on behalf of both herself and her husband.

The reference to an “unforgettable week” was handwritten by Mr Young and came directly from the Queen.

In her letter to the Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen, she thanked the city for a “warm and memorable welcome”. She said the visit highlighted a “wealth of history, culture and dynamism associated with the city which looked wonderful in the May sunshine”.

In her letter to the Mayor of Cork Michael O’Connell, she said the welcome received there was “deeply moving and greatly appreciated”. She described her visit to Cork as “particularly memorable” and extended her thanks for the gifts she received.

President Mary McAleese also received a letter of thanks from the Queen, but a spokeswoman said it was not the practice to reveal its contents.