President Catherine Connolly has arrived in Scotland for her official visit.
The president will begin this visit, which runs for four days, with a meeting in Edinburgh with First Minister John Swinney and Minister for Europe, External Relations and Energy Stephen Gethins.
This also marks the second time that President Connolly and the First Minister have met in their respective roles. This visit also comes at a key time for the two countries, as Scottish Independence and Irish reunification are coming to the fore in political discourse.
Ms Connolly had been invited to this meeting by First Minister John Swinney after the pair had previously met at her inauguration last year.
Over the course of this four day visit, President Connolly, who will be accompanied by her husband, Brian McEnery, is to attend engagements in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the western part of Isle of Skye.
Later today, President Connolly is to visit the National Library of Scotland to see some of the precious items which were held in collections there, including the final letter written by Mary, Queen of Scots.
Ms Connolly will also meet the team working on the 'Across these Islands' project, aiming to widen access to the national collections held in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. This is an initiative which is funded via the UK-Ireland Shared Island Cultural Co-operation Programme.
Elsewhere, President Connolly will also visit the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which will see her awarded an Honorary Fellowship. She will also get an overview of the 'Silent Harm' project, a key bilateral supporting deaf victims of gender based violence in rural areas.
It was also confirmed that President Connolly will meet with members of the Network of Academies for Irish and Scottish Engagement (NAOISE), which was established by the Irish Government in Edinburgh last year, aimed to enhance academic partnerships and collaboration between the institutions between the two countries.
Ms Connolly is to spent two days in Glasgow, which will see her attend engagements with Irish and Scottish community organisations, as well as a visit to primary school where Gaelic football and hurling are included in the syllabus.
A shared linguistic heritage will also be recognised during the president's visit to Sabhal Mór Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture situated on the Isle of Skye.
"I am very pleased to have the opportunity of making an Official Visit to Scotland and building on my engagement with the First Minister in the opening weeks of my Presidency", President Connolly said in a statement. "Ireland and Scotland are bound by strong ties of friendship, culture and language, with people moving between our countries for centuries.
"I am very much looking forward to meeting with those involved in many of the projects bringing our people together over the coming days, as well as meeting with members of the Irish community in Scotland". (All quotes according to RTÉ).
