THE first of two British royal visits gets under way today when Prince Edward arrives in Dublin to attend the presentation by the President, Mrs Robinson, of Gaisce's Gold Award. It is also known as the President's Award and is presented annually for outstanding achievement in social and community activities.
The award ceremony at Dublin Castle will be followed by a banquet.
Tomorrow the prince travels to Co, Mayo to meet some of the participants in Gaisce's various award schemes.
His sister, Princess Anne, will confine her public visit to Dublin when she arrives tomorrow for two days, although there have been suggestions that one or both royals will make a private visit to relatives of Princess Margaret, in Birr, Co Offaly.
Princess Anne will have four public engagements during her stay, starting with the official opening of the new British embassy building on Merrion Road, Dublin, where she will unveil a plaque.
The princess will also visit Newcastle Riding School, Co Dublin on Saturday morning where she will watch a riding for the disabled training session and then present a number of rosettes.
Shortly after she will return to the city centre to meet members of Victim Support, the organisation which helps victims of crime. There she will meet its chairwoman, Mrs Jennifer Guinness, and the organisation's founder, Mr Derek Nally.
After a presentation the princess will have a private lunch before arriving at Lansdowne Road in Ballsbridge for the rugby international between Ireland and Scotland.
According to gardai there will be "appropriate security arrangements in place for visiting VIPs" and the press office declined to comment on reports about Princess Anne's so called "stalker" being in Ireland.
Garda sources pointed out, however, that Mr Bernard Quinn (53) had committed no crime, and was free to travel between Britain and Ireland.
On the day of her arrival the princess will have just one public engagement - the opening of the embassy building, whose architecture was given informal approval by Prince Charles during his first visit to Ireland last year.
The new offices were occupied last August after completion of the building in June.
