Warm tributes to Queen Elizabeth on her passing

"The end of an incredible epoch in British history"

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Aged 96, she died at her residence in Balmoral earlier today. She was the longest serving British monarch of all time, recently celebrating 70 years on the throne.

Paying tribute to her, President Michael D. Higgins said it was with profound regret and a deep personal sadness that I have learnt of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

He stated: "On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I express my heartfelt sympathy to His Majesty King Charles and to the Royal Family on their very great personal loss.

"May I offer my deepest condolences to the British people and to the members of the Commonwealth on the loss of a unique, committed and deeply respected Head of State.

"Her Majesty served the British people with exceptional dignity. Her personal commitment to her role and extraordinary sense of duty were the hallmarks of her period as Queen, which will hold a unique place in British history.

"Her reign of 70 years encompassed periods of enormous change, during which she represented a remarkable source of reassurance to the British people.

"This was a reassurance based on a realism of the significance of present events, rather than any narrow conception of history.

"This was so well reflected by a remarkable generosity of spirit which helped to foster a more inclusive relationship both with the British people themselves and with those with whom her country has experienced a complex, and often difficult, history.

"As President of Ireland, I recall the exceptional hospitality afforded to Sabina and myself by the Queen and the late Prince Philip on our four day State Visit to Britain in 2014.

"Together we celebrated the deeply personal interconnection between the Irish and British people, a connection embodied by the hundreds of thousands of families who have moved between our shores over the centuries.

"As we know, the Queen often spoke of how much she enjoyed her own historic State Visit to Ireland in 2011, the first such Visit by a British monarch since Irish independence, and during which she did so much through eloquent word and generous gesture to improve relations between our two islands.

"Queen Elizabeth’s visit was pivotal in laying a firm basis for an authentic and ethical understanding between our countries.

"During those memorable few days eleven years ago, the Queen did not shy away from the shadows of the past.

"Her moving words and gestures of respect were deeply appreciated and admired by the people of Ireland and set out a new, forward looking relationship between our nations – one of respect, close partnership and sincere friendship.

"As we offer our condolences to all our neighbours in the United Kingdom, following the loss of a remarkable friend of Ireland, we remember the role Queen Elizabeth played in celebrating the warm and enduring friendship, and her great impact on the bonds of mutual understanding, between our two peoples. She will be deeply missed.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.”

On behalf of the Irish government, Taoiseach Michaél Martin conveyed his deepest sympathy to His Majesty King Charles, the Royal Family, the UK Government and the British people on the loss of their beloved monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

He said: "The Queen’s reign was one of historic duration, immense consequence and a focus of respect and admiration around the world.

"Her dedication to duty and public service were self-evident and her wisdom and experience truly unique.

"The Queen’s passing is indeed the end of an era. Her State Visit to Ireland in 2011 marked a crucial step in the normalisation of relations with our nearest neighbour.

"That visit was a great success, largely because of the many gracious gestures and warm remarks made by the Queen during her time in Ireland.

"Her popularity with the Irish people was also very evident and clearly made a very positive impact on the Queen. In particular, I recall the warmth of the welcome she received from the public in Cork during her walkabout at the English Market.

"To her grieving family and people, the Irish Government join with you in mourning the loss of an exceptional woman who led by quiet and dignified example and who touched so many lives over her exceptionally long reign.

"Our world is a poorer place for her passing but a far richer and better place as a result of her long life and enduring contribution."

Tanáiste Leo Varadkar said the Queen's passing marked the end of an incredible epoch in British history.

He stated: "As Head of State she helped usher in a new era of hope and reconciliation between our two countries, opening a new chapter in relations between Ireland and the UK.

"Her life was devoted to public service, and her dedication to her work, to her people and to her country, over seven decades of extraordinary and sometimes difficult change, won respect and admiration all around the world.

"From our perspective, she will always be remembered as the first British monarch to visit an independent Ireland, a visit which was a watershed moment on the long road to reconciliation.

"Symbolism matters, and the visit showed that it is possible to move beyond a painful history, and use our shared experiences to build a new future in a spirit of hope and forgiveness.

"From a British perspective, she was their longest-reigning monarch, and a much-loved and respected head of State. When born, she was third in line to the throne, but found herself a Queen at just 25 years of age.

"Her life was one of ongoing dedication, of service to her people, and to the Commonwealth which flourished under her watch.

"Her workload was the stuff of legend - as late as Wednesday evening, she was scheduled to meet with her Privy Council to discuss affairs of State.

"From the start of her reign she travelled far and wide, visiting countries inside and outside the Commonwealth; countries with good relations with the UK, and those with more troubled ones.

"Ireland has had a complex and deeply troubled relationship with the British monarchy over many centuries.

"Queen Elizabeth will be remembered as someone who built bridges between Ireland and the UK, and restored connections between our nations.

"I was honoured to briefly meet Queen Elizabeth, and the Duke of Edinburgh, during their visit to Ireland in my capacity as Minister for Tourism.

"I will always recall her warmth, her grace, and most especially her humour. This was a mission that mattered precisely because the history between our two countries had been so difficult for so long.

"In the past, the British monarchy had been a symbol of all that was wrong in that relationship. She transformed it into a symbol of reconciliation.

"We didn’t realise it at the time, but her visit to Ireland was a new beginning in relations between Ireland and the UK.

"I remember vividly the surprise and delight of hearing a British monarch speaking Irish at a State occasion, the smile on her face as she met Irish citizens, and her now legendary visit to the English Market in Cork.

"May she Rest in Peace, and may her successors help to continue the long and ongoing work of reconciliation between Ireland and the UK."