PRINCE ALBERT OF MONACO AND HIS FIANCEE ARE IN GALWAY AND MAYO TODAY ON THE FINAL DAY OF THEIR STATE VISIT TO IRELAND. THE PRINCE WAS WELCOMED TO THE MARINE INSTITUTE IN GALWAY BY THE MINISTER FOR THE MARINE SIMON COVNEY JUST BEFORE 10 O’CLOCK THIS MORNING. THE VISIT WAS ORGANISED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCE WHO KEENLY FOLLOWS HIS FAMILY’S TRADITIONAL INTEREST IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS.

AN HISTORIC MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING HAD BEEN DRAWN UP BY THE MARINE INSTITUTE IN GALWAY AND THE INSTITUT OCEANOGRAPHIQUE OF MONACO TO COINCIDE WITH THE VISIT.

THE MEMORANDUN FOSTERS AN INCREASED LEVEL OF INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF BOTH ORGANISATIONS.

FROM GALWAY THE PRINCE AND HIS FIANCEE CHARLENE WITTSTOCK WILL TRAVEL TO MAYO THIS AFTERNOON.THE ROYAL VISITORS WILL BE IN NEWPORT, FIRST TO VISIT THE PRINCE’S MATERNAL GRANDFATHER’S HOME OUTSIDE THE TOWN AND THEN HE WILL JOIN RELATIVES FOR A PRIVATE MEETING IN NEWPORT HOUSE AND IT’S EXPECTED THAT HE WILL TAKE A WALKABOUT THROUGH NEWPORT SOMETIME AFTER 6O’CLOCK THIS EVENING. THE COUPLE WILL THEN FLY OUT FROM IRELAND WEST AIRPORT KNOCK.