PRINCE ALBERT OF MONACO IS TO MAKE A TWO-DAY STATE VISIT TO IRELAND NEXT WEEK.

THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS LAST NIGHT ANNOUNCED THE IMPENDING VISIT OF THE PRINCE, 50 YEARS AFTER HIS LATE FATHER AND MOTHER, PRINCE RAINIER III AND FORMER HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS GRACE KELLY, WERE HERE IN 1961.

PRINCE ALBERT AND HIS FIANCEE CHARLENE WITTSTOCK WILL ATTEND A SERIES OF EVENTS IN DUBLIN AND GALWAY BETWEEN MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY NEXT.

IT WILL NOT BE THE FIRST TIME THE 52-YEAR-OLD HAS VISITED HIS MOTHER'S ANCESTRAL HOMELAND . LAST JUNE, HE AND MS WITTSTOCK HOLIDAYED ALONG THE WEST COAST.

NEXT WEEK’S VISIT WILL INCLUDE A TRIP TO THE THE IRISH MARINE INSTITUTE IN ORANMORE, CO GALWAY.

PRINCESS GARACE’S  GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM NEWPORT IN CO MAYO AND SHE WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN VERY PROUD OF HER IRISH HERITAGE.

THERE’S NO INDICATION, HOWEVER, THAT NEXT WEEK’S ROYAL VISITORS WILL COME TO MAYO.