NOW that the shock has turned to dismay, the underlying. implications of the ending of the ceasefire are being considered the damage to tourism, overseas funding, investment, business and our image abroad.
The President, Mrs Robinson, has a very full travel itinerary this spring which includes her official visit to Britain at the beginning of June. If relations haven't improved, it could be a frosty occasion.
Already the annual visit by the Taoiseach to the White House for St Patrick's Day is under review. John Bruton was due there on March 14th and 15th to speak at an Ireland-America Fund dinner on the Thursday, to present shamrock to Bill and Hilary Clinton on the 15th and to attend a St Patrick's Day reception at the White House that night.
Now, following the London bombs, sources in the US capital say the situation is completely fluid. "Everything is up in the air including a decision on Sinn Fein fund-raising, visas and St Patrick's Day celebrations until the Major/ Bruton summit next week clarifies things. The White House traditionally makes public its policy on Ireland on that day and now this has to be reshaped. Decisions have not yet been taken."
Mrs Robinson's state visits to South Africa (March 24th) to Iceland (May 27th) and to the US (June 12th) should go ahead as normal but she, like our other dignitaries, may find less enthusiasm for Ireland and things Irish than existed over the past 18 months. Her visits next month to six English cities, to Stockholm and France in May and to London and Glasgow in July should be equally affected.
It is the State visit to Britain that worries some - both the security implications, the damage to goodwill and the future for a much heralded return visit by none other than Queen Elizabeth.