Itinerary for fourth and final day of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Ireland:
Tour of St Patrick’s Rock, Cashel
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip will begin the final day of their State visit with a tour of the famous Rock of Cashel in Co Tipperary. The medieval site has a strong royalist pedigree itself, having served as the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several centuries prior to the Norman invasion.
The royal pair will travel by helicopter from Farmleigh for a brief tour of the various buildings and structures, which date from the 12th century onwards, and will then view some the site’s most prized artefacts, including the St Patrick’s Crozier. Ministers Brendan Howlin and Brian Hayes will be in attendance.
Visit to English Market in Cork
Later in the morning, the royals will travel to the rebel county for a tour of the famous English Market, one of the oldest covered markets of its kind in Europe, dating back to 1788. Originally associated with the Protestant upper classes, the market first became known as the English Market in the 1840s to distinguish it from another Cork market on the Coal Quay which was frequented by the Catholic Irish.
The Queen and Prince Philip will be given a tour of the market by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Michael O’Connell, and meet some of the stallholder who trade there. The Queen will also unveil a plaque to mark her visit to the market.
Visit to Tyndall National Institute, Cork
The final leg of the royal itinerary will see the royal pair pay a visit to the world-renowned Tyndall Institute at University College Cork. They will be escorted on a tour of the institute by its chief executive Prof Roger Whatmore and UCC president Michael Murphy, and receive demonstrations of the current research projects which include a painless needle and revolutionary semi-conductor.
As well as meeting a number of local and civic group representatives, the royal pair will be introduced to the Benhaffaf brothers, the formerly conjoined twins who were successfully separated in London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital last year.
Departure from Cork airport
The Queen and Prince Philip will end their four-day visit to the Republic by departing from Cork airport in the afternoon. The royal delegation will formally greeted at the airport and escorted to their plane by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Army Chief of Staff Sean McCann in the presence of a military guard of honour.
Cork airport and the surrounding area will be affected by road closures and other traffic restrictions between 1.30pm and 4pm.