IT is a century since a British monarch set foot in Ireland and when the Queen – dressed in Irish green – arrived in Dublin yesterday, it marked a truly historic moment.

The security concerns were considerable, but they were overcome on a landmark day which shows how much progress has been made since the dark days of violence when such a visit would have been unthinkable.

The significance of the Queen laying a wreath at the Republic of Ireland’s Garden of Remembrance cannot be underestimated because the garden is dedicated to those who fought for Irish independence.

The visit is testament to the work started by John Major’s Conservative government and continued by Tony Blair’s Labour administration.

The North-East can also be proud of the roles played by Mo Mowlam and Peter Mandelson, who represented constituencies in the region when they acted as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Condemned in some quarters for talking to terrorists, the value of the work they carried out can now be appreciated.

Such strides have been made that we must not allow a tiny minority of extremists, such as those who left a pipe bomb on a bus bound for Dublin on Monday, to take us backwards.

There will inevitably be further attempts to undermine the spirit of understanding which has been achieved.

The threat level for Irish-related terrorism in Britain remains substantial and the cost of guarding against it will be high.

But it will be worth it.