State Visit from Ireland

After the official welcoming ceremony, President and Dr. McAleese met with Mr. Torbjørn Jagland, President of the Storting (Norwegian national assembly), and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Afterwards, King Harald and Queen Sonja accompanied the President and her husband to Akershus Castle for a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Monument.

Later in the afternoon, the King and Queen and their guests visited the National Library of Norway, where they attended the opening of an exhibition on Irish music and folklore. The day concluded with a gala dinner at the Royal Palace.

On day two of the visit, the presidential couple attended a business breakfast at the Grand Hotel before they joined the King and Queen in visiting the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Oslo, where Celtic studies are taught. Subsequently, the President spoke at the Nobel Institute on “Paths to Peace – Reflections on the Irish Experience”.

The Government hosted a luncheon at Akershus Castle, and the day concluded with a reception for the Irish community in Oslo at the Grand Hotel.

Trondheim 16 October

On 16 October, the final day of the visit, the Irish President travelled to Trondheim, where she opened a seminar on renewable energy at Marine Tech at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology. The King and Queen then accompanied the President and her husband to Nidaros Cathedral, where they received a guided tour and attended a short concert before a luncheon held in the Erkebispegården (Archbishop’s Palace).

The President and her husband visited the municipality of Rissa and the Museum of Coastal Heritage at Stadsbygd before leaving to return to Dublin.