The Queen has laid a wreath at the Republic of Ireland's Garden of Remembrance during the first visit to the country by a British monarch.

The act is significant as the garden, in Dublin, is dedicated to people who fought for Irish independence.

Dozens of protesters gathered nearby amid one of the biggest ever security operations in the country.

Earlier, the Queen was welcomed by President Mary McAleese after flying into Baldonnel military airbase.

It emerged that a pipe bomb found on a bus bound for Dublin on Monday had been made safe by the Irish army.

Upon landing at the military airbase, just outside Dublin, the Queen emerged wearing an outfit of symbolic emerald green.

After lunch the monarch wore a white outfit.

God Save The Queen was played when she arrived at the Garden of Remembrance to lay the wreath - regarded as a highly symbolic act as the garden commemorates Irish people who fought over the centuries against British rule.

A one-minute silence followed the laying of the wreath, after which the Irish Tricolour was raised from half to full mast and the country's national anthem was played.

Much of the centre of Dublin was cordoned off, leaving many streets empty, as part of the strict security clampdown put in place for the visit.
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Analysis
image of Mark Simpson Mark Simpson BBC Ireland Correspondent

The Queen, dressed in Irish green, finally set foot on Irish soil at 1203 BST.

It was one small step for the Queen - one huge moment in British-Irish history.

It is 100 years since a British monarch has been in Ireland. Many thought a king or queen would never be welcomed back.

Instead, Ireland rolled out the red carpet for her nearest neighbour.

Whatever the security concerns, this has been a landmark moment in Dublin. In truth, it's one that most people living in Ireland today thought they would never see.

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Meanwhile, riot police officers jostled with demonstrators at two separate protests on streets several hundred yards from the garden.

The sounds of protesters could be heard during the laying of the wreath and black balloons were released by some demonstrators.

There were scuffles between police and republicans protesting against the visit in the centre of Dublin at Tuesday lunchtime.

Up to 200 supporters of the Eirigi socialist republican party later retreated to stage a rally nearby.

The Queen then went on to Trinity College to be shown the Book of Kells, an ancient illuminated manuscript in Latin, containing the four gospels of the New Testament.

Later, the monarch met Trinity scholars, musicians and artists.

At Baldonnel airbase, the royal party was greeted by an Irish Air Corps guard of honour and presented with flowers by a south Dublin schoolgirl, eight-year-old Rachel Fox.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were then driven in a bombproof and bulletproof car, with a 33-motorcycle escort, to Aras an Uachtarain - the official residence of the Irish president in Dublin's Phoenix Park. The visit is taking place following Mrs McAleese's invitation.

The Queen shook hands with the president at the front of the residence before moving inside to meet the Taoiseach (prime minister) Enda Kenny.

The Irish flag and the union jack flew side by side at the gates to the building, where both countries' national anthems were played.

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The BBC's Nick Ravenscroft: "Fireworks, cans, bottles and bricks all started to be thrown"

A 21-gun salute and an Air Corps flypast also marked the Queen's arrival.

She and Prince Philip signed the visitors' book in the residence's lavish state ballroom, before having lunch with the president and her husband.

King George V was the last monarch to visit the country, in 1911, when what is now the Republic was then part of the UK.

UK Prime Minister Cameron will join the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for part of their trip on Wednesday, while Foreign Secretary William Hague is following the usual practice of accompanying the royals throughout their visit.
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The Irish President is by the Queen's side. The organisers hope it'll be seen as a powerful symbol of reconciliation”

Peter Hunt Royal correspondent, BBC News

Follow Peter Hunt's coverage of the royal visit

The Queen will attend events this week at the National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge and Croke Park stadium.

Croke Park is the home of Gaelic games where in 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, British forces fired into the crowd at a football match, killing 14 spectators and players.

The Queen is also to make a speech at a state dinner at Dublin Castle.

There are also plans for the Queen and Prince Philip to visit the Irish National Stud in County Kildare, as well as the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary and a technology park in Cork.

The bomb on the bus was found in a holdall in the luggage compartment on Monday night during a check in Maynooth, County Kildare, to the west of Dublin.

About 30 people who were on board the bus were taken off and transported to Dublin in another vehicle.
Convoy of cars in Dublin Tight security meant many of Dublin's streets were empty during the Queen's visit

The device was later made safe in a controlled explosion carried out by an Irish army bomb disposal team.

A coded bomb threat relating to London had been received on Sunday, the first issued by Irish dissidents outside Northern Ireland in 10 years, officials said.

However, the threat level for Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Britain remains unchanged at substantial. In Northern Ireland it is severe.

Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype.
The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition.
Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold.
Internet auction house eBay bought Skype for $2.6bn in 2006, before selling 70% of it in 2009 for $2bn.
This majority stake was bought by a group of investors led by private equity firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowit.
Other major shareholders include tech-firm Joltid and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
'Defensive move'
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said: "Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world.