McAleese visits staunchly unionist towns in Antrim
President Mary McAleese is visiting two staunchly unionist towns in the heart of Ian Paisley's constituency in Co Antrim today.
The visit to comes amid ongoing unionist unhappiness about Mrs McAleese's remarks last year comparing some Protestants in the North to Nazis.
The President caused widespread anger when she said some Protestants had raised their children to hate Catholics in the same way that Nazis hated Jews.
Mrs McAleese apologised for the comments, but this failed to appease many unionists.
Dr Paisley launched a scathing attack on her at the DUP's annual conference in February, claiming she was hostile to the PSNI and hated the North.
The DUP had considered holding a protest during the President's visit to Larne and Ballymena today, but it eventually backed down.
It is still unclear, however, whether individual unionists will mount protests when Mrs McAleese arrives in the area for a number of engagements.
