Born in 2012

The Queen's visit to Ireland the previous year had been historic, and the warmth between the two countries was genuine and healing. Ireland was grinding through austerity. But signs of recovery were beginning to appear, tentatively — technology companies were expanding their Dublin operations, tourism was rising, and the bond markets were starting to treat Ireland as a serious country again.

The Irish people's resilience was being sorely tested, and they were, by and large, passing the test.