On the second day of her historic visit, the Queen is to visit Croke Park in Dublin, the Gaelic football ground which is an important symbol of Irish nationalism.

Tim Carey, author of a history of Croke Park, said that the ground was "not just a stadium but an expression of an Irish identity", as a focal point of Irish nationalism and the site of a massacre in the Irish war of independence.

The Queen, he said, was "extremely brave move and has gained huge amount of respect" from a visit that went "to the heart of Irish history".

"She's not opening flower shows," he told James Naughtie.

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