Jubilee: Queen makes history during Enniskillen visit, in 2012

Church bells pealed and, as two poignant beams of light crossed over in the night sky, long-lasting memories were rekindled of her Diamond Jubilee visit to the town in 2012

Following on from her historic four-day visit to the Republic the previous year, Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Enniskillen on Tuesday, June 26 in 2012 made further extraordinary marks on history.

John McVitty

Enniskillen’s grey skies, low clouds and rain couldn’t overshadow what our local newspapers headlined summed up as history in the making.

Undeterred by the bad weather, which caused The Queen’s plane to be diverted to Belfast instead of landing at St. Angelo Airport, the Royal visitors arrived by helicopter at the Enniskillen airport shortly after 11.30am, where she was greeted by dignitaries and politicians including the Earl of Erne, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for County Fermanagh and the Countess of Erne, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Patterson, and Mrs. Patterson.

As she stepped onto the tarmac, The Queen made light of the rather unwelcoming Fermanagh weather, outstretching her arms and looking skywards with a warm smile.

An awaiting procession of Land Rovers and police outriders brought The Queen and Prince Philip into the town.

Flags waved, umbrellas and welcoming banners flapped, and scarves and overcoats fluttered as the great and the good, the young and the old enthusiastically greeted the monarch.

John McVitty

The Queen waved a white-gloved hand and smiled as the Royal cavalcade progressed to St. Macartin’s Cathedral.

Special service

A special Service of Thanksgiving to mark her Diamond Jubilee began there at noon. Many of the 750-strong congregation had been seated since much earlier, and the service started later than planned after a delay of nearly an hour due to the Royal travel arrangements being affected by bad weather.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (R) leaves St Michaels Roman Catholic Church in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on June 26, 2012. Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday for a visit that will include a historic meeting with deputy first

Her Majesty was greeted at the gates to the cathedral by The Very Rev. Kenneth Hall, with the bells of the cathedral ringing.

Her Majesty then met some church leaders of the time, including The Most Rev. Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; The Most Rev. Dr. Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin; and The Right Rev. John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher.

The Thanksgiving Service, coordinated by the Lord Chamberlain’s office, was conducted by The Very Revd. Kenneth Hall. The Lesson from St. Matthew was read by The Rt. Hon. Peter Robinson MLA, the then First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Queens Visit to Enniskillen - 26-6-2012 - picture by John McVitty, Enniskillen, Co.Fermanagh, N.Ireland-07771987378

More church leaders of the day participated: the Prayers of Intercession were led by the Rev. Ken Lindsay, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; His Eminence, Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; and the Right Rev. Dr. Roy Patton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

The Sermon was delivered by The Most Rev. Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh, who later pronounced the Blessing.

Groundbreaking

The Archbishop praised The Queen’s groundbreaking visit to the Republic of Ireland the previous year, and referred to her ancestor, Elizabeth I, who addressed the British Parliament in 1601.

He described how Elizabeth I had said in her 17th Century speech: “And though you have had, and may have, many princes more mighty and wise sitting in this seat, yet you never had, nor shall have, any that will be more careful and loving.”

He said: “In that, the first Queen Elizabeth was mistaken. She did not anticipate the reign of her Elizabethan successor, for whose 60 years of duty, devotion and service we say, ‘Thanks be to God’.”

SEE ALSO: Jubilee: Royals charmed Fermanagh on second visit, in 2002

The Rt. Rev. John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher, led the Diamond Jubilee Prayer – a prayer written at The Queen’s direction by the Chapter of St. Paul’s Cathedral for her Jubilee.

During her Enniskillen visit of 2012, The Queen met a host of dignitaries, churchmen, VIPs, politicians and local folk of all ages.

She visited the new South West Acute Hospital, where a little patient noted that she wasn’t wearing her crown, and Her Majesty explained that she didn’t wear it all the time!

After the Service of Thanksgiving in St. Macartin’s, she met privately with the families of the Remembrance Day Bombing.

She then made the short walk across the street from the Anglican Cathedral’s deanery to a packed St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, not just making a short walk, but history, too – for the first time, The Queen had entered a Roman Catholic church on the island of Ireland.

The Very Rev. Canon O’Reilly said later: “My reading of the significance of today is that it is an expression of the unity that there is in this place – a Fermanagh welcome, a gracious Queen, a lovely lady.”

As The Impartial Reporter observed: “Small steps that meant much”.