Queen expresses sympathy to Irish - but no apology

Queen Elizabeth II has made a powerful statement expressing "deep sympathy" to all who have suffered as a result of the troubled relations between England and Ireland.

However, she did not go on to apologise for any British actions during the bitter conflicts between the two neighbours. The Queen admitted "it is clear mistakes were made" on both sides.

She made the remarks at a state dinner hosted by Irish President Mary McAleese this morning (NZ time).

"To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy," said the Queen.

"With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all."

Earlier, the Queen continued her groundbreaking trip to the Irish Republic by visiting the Gaelic football field where troops shot dead 14 civilians during a football game in 1920.

She was given a warm welcome at the Croke Park stadium in north Dublin, where only a passing and non-confrontational reference was made to what is known as Bloody Sunday.

The president of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Christy Cooney, referred to those who had lost their lives, including "those that died in this place". But he gave what was regarded as a handsome welcome to the Queen, saying her presence "does honour to our association".

The occasion continued the visit's theme of reconciliation, which began on Monday when the Queen laid a wreath to republican dead at Dublin's Garden of Remembrance.

At the Irish War Memorial Gardens, she laid a wreath of poppies in memory of almost 50,000 Irishmen who fought for the crown during the First World War.

This occasion was attended by politicians and other figures from Northern Ireland. They included Jackie McDonald, one of the leaders of the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association, a close associate of Irish President Mary McAleese, who has been accompanying the Queen.

Mr McDonald said: "I am very proud for the people we represent, the ex-combatants, the loyalist ex-prisoners, ones who made this possible, who supported us through the transition from where we were to where we are."

Other guests included members of the Orange Order whose grand master Eddie Stevenson said of Britain and Ireland: "I think the two countries are maybe behaving like grown-up people now and have a proper relationship with each other."

On a lighter note, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited Dublin's Guinness brewery, where staff demonstrated how to pull the "perfect pint".

The visit to Croke Park was regarded as the most emotionally charged part of the day, since for decades it was regarded as the site of a major British injustice.

In his speech, Mr Cooney said: "Today it is in a positive spirit that we welcome Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness to Croke Park.

"Your presence does honour to our Association, to its special place in Irish life, and to its hundreds of thousands of members. Today will go down in the history of the GAA."

On the final leg of her tour tonight (NZ time), the Queen plans to visit the Irish National Stud to indulge her love of horses. She also hosts a gala dinner for Irish dignitaries Thursday evening before traveling to Cork on Friday.

Queen Elizabeth II was on Day 2 of the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by a reigning British monarch.

- INDEPENDENT, AP