Ring of steel tightens around city

EMPLOYEES OF Cassidy’s Hotel, opposite the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin will have to carry a passport, payslip and a copy of their roster if they want to come to work during the visit of Queen Elizabeth this week.

Security in the capital, particularly around Parnell Square where the garden is situated, was tightened yesterday as thousands of barriers were erected along the route to be taken by the royal entourage.

The party will visit Áras an Uachtaráin, the Garden of Remembrance, Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, Government Buildings, Croke Park, Islandbridge and Dublin Castle over two days before going to Kildare and Cork.

The barriers were not necessarily set up in anticipation of a large number of onlookers, but as a “precautionary measure”, a Garda spokesman said.

In the city centre, only the western, Rotunda Hospital side, of Parnell Square was fully accessible yesterday. Art lovers could access the Hugh Lane Gallery on the north side of the square, but people who said they lived close by were told they had to walk the long way around.

More than 40 gardaí were positioned in and around the square, some inside the railings of the garden others behind the Children of Lír sculpture. Businesses along the east side, closest to the garden’s entrance, were the most affected by the security. Vehicular access was closed and pedestrian access limited.

Patrick Kaczynski, manager of Cassidy’s Hotel, said gardaí began checking out the 113-roomed building more than three weeks ago. The rooms were examined and the hotel had to produce its guest list for the week so each visitor could be checked out.

Guests were also told they would have to show identification and their booking reference to get past gardaí manning the barriers and access to the hotel.

Employees at the hotel were also vetted and told they would have to bring a passport, a payslip and a copy of their roster to access the hotel once the barriers were closed, Mr Kaczynski said.

Business had benefited from the visit though with lots of extra British guests booking in. Only eight rooms in the hotel had a view over the square and British guests had been asking if they would be able to see their Queen.

“We’ve been told her car will have tinted windows so I can’t answer that question,” Mr Kaczynski said.

The Candy Café on the corner of the square and North Fredrick Street said business had suffered in the last few days. Ronan O’Dubhghaill said employees there had also been told they would need proof of identity to access work. “It’s been pretty dead for the last few days and we haven’t been told what is going to happen on Tuesday,” he said.

Internet cafe Net Print on the southeast corner of the square, also noticed a drop-off in business, manager Robert Gyolai said. Gardaí had carried out a number of security checks and were coming in “every single day” or phoning the owner.