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London calling: Michael D plans first official trip as Irish President

Image: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

MICHAEL D HIGGINS and his wife Sabina will travel to London later this month for the President’s first official visit since his inauguration.

The Higgins’ will depart Dublin airport on 21 February for a busy two-day programme of events, Áras an Uachtaráin announced in a statement today.

On the first day, the President will visit the London Irish Centre in Camden. He will also attend a gathering at the London School of Economics to give an address entitled Of Public Intellectuals, Universities and a Democratic Crisis.

The more cultural aspects of the official visit are packed into day two when the President and his wife will enjoy a tour of the Olympic Park, including the Aquatics Centre and stadium.

Higgins will also meet with Lord Sebastian Coe, the president of the London Olympic Games Organising Committee.

Later on the afternoon of 22 February, the Irish Embassy will host a meet-and-greet between the President and members of the Irish business and cultural community.

Finally, both Michael D and Sabina will attend a performance of Juno and the Paycock, jointly produced by the Abbey Theatre, the Lyttelton Theatre and the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Earlier today, Higgins launched the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations at a ceremony in Dublin Castle. He called on older people to realise their potential in order to make ageing a positive experience.

More: Michael D: “Skewed values” partly to blame for economic collapse>

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Comments (18 Comments)

  • jimbo 09/02/12 #
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    Is he flying with ryanair or aer lingus,or getting the stenna?

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  • alan 09/02/12 #
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    maybe he should inform himself as to the kind of ‘developments’ that have been undertaken in London to make way for thier big economic opportunity. wholesale levelling of communites, appropriation of public lands, ongoing ‘gentrification’ of older neighbourhoods. with this in mind, he might temper any inclination he may have to congratulate the authorities over there for their achievments. a lot has been done in the name of the ‘olympics’. not a lot of it of much benefit to the citizens of the areas concerned

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    • Peter Carroll 09/02/12 #
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      Yeah, it’s a real bummer all these working class types trying to become middle class and moving into better homes and cleaner environments. Save the East End Slums. Then again……

    • alan 09/02/12 #
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      if only

      you should check online to see what is actually happening

      even a cursory look at anything realted to ian sinclairs recent book on the olympics ‘ghost milk’ will inform you as to what is actually going on (as well as to the legacy that previous olympics have left

      its a good opportunity for higgins to condemn exaclty the kind of opportunism and philistinism that he has routinely (and rightly) criticised of late

      still seb coe is doing wonders for his career (and to hell with the expense

    • John O'Neill 09/02/12 #
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      Absolutely true Alan. I wonder if meeting Lord Coe will cause him as much displeasure as it would have when he could show his socialist leanings openly.

  • Alan Mooney 09/02/12 #
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    Is he getting to meet the queen?

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  • Ronan 09/02/12 #
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    No need to worry about gov jet.. St Patrick’s Day will have “trade delegations” all over the world.

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  • DubDon 09/02/12 #
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    Meet the queen… NO… The British Prime Minister… No… Come maybe even the Deputy Prime Minuster… No… Ahhh Lord Coe…!!! Wow that will be great for inward investment into Ireland and not to forget a night at the “Theatre”…!!!

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  • Randy savage 09/02/12 #
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    God i forgot we had a president at least with Mary Mac she was in the media regularly and seen at events. This fella seems to have got to the Aras and just kicked back in the lazy boy. Thats what happens when you elect another old fogie.

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  • Eric De Red 09/02/12 #
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    Who cares? Irrelevant individual.

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  • Report this comment

    Who’s this auld fart and what’s his job description?

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  • Cal Mooney 09/02/12 #
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    Yeah, i heard he is going to the War memorial with the Queen to lay a wreath for the soldiers executed by the British armed forces during the 1916 uprising. After that, he wuioll lay a wreath for the 1 million victims of the genocide perpetrated by the British government during the famine :D

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    • Réada Quinn 10/02/12 #
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      That would be good. Nice idea. Glad to see I’m not the only one who calls the “famine” genocide. Because that is EXACTLY what it was.

  • Charles Mark 09/02/12 #
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    So the peacock is going to see Juno and the Paycock?

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  • Dario Fo 10/02/12 #
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    Give him a chance. He just got out of bed. Z z z z z z . “Juno in London” “Sabina ring and book Gov. jet” yes a trip at last..

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  • Réada Quinn 10/02/12 #
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    I was engaged with family today and hadn’t noticed my guru being attacked and ridiculed. Sorry I wasn’t there for his defence.

    Where were all the FG “our dearest friends and closest neighbour” heads today?? Typical. Just when they might have come in useful they were in the Dáil bar….

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    • Charles Mark 10/02/12 #
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      Réada, Maybe if he stopped going on and on about being an “intellectual” he wouldn’t set himself up for easy ridicule?

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