Royal couple try out hurling on final day of visit

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been given a showcase of hurling and football skills in Co Galway on the final day of their visit to Ireland.

Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Salthill Knocknacarra GAA Club this afternoon.

It was the final engagement of their three-day trip.

Players from the club's under-10 team displayed their talents for the British royal couple, who also tried their hand at the sports.

The club has 72 members who are part of the under-10 age group and so a lottery was held to decide who would get to be on the pitch.

Hundreds of volunteers spent a number of weeks painting and refurbishing the club ahead of the visit.

Earlier, the duke and duchess were briefed on Galway's designation as European Capital of Culture.

After seeing performances by a number of arts groups, they travelled to a local pub, where they met members of the volunteering community in Galway.

There was also a short walkabout around the pedestrianised heart of the city where the couple met some of the more than 300 people who had gathered to see them.

Duchess of Cambridge is determined to raise a sliotar and she succeeds! ⁦@RTENewsNow⁩ #RoyalVisitIreland pic.twitter.com/iMMybVpGDF
— TERESA MANNION (@TeresaMannion) March 5, 2020

People travelled from around the country to welcome the duke and duchess with many women in the crowd saying they were most excited to see what the duchess was wearing - a green dress by British designer Suzannah Winters.

One woman from Abbeyleix in Co Laois brought a photo she took of Princess Diana in 1997 at the Royal Albert Hall.

Michelle Roberts said she met Prince William's mother several times and hoped to give him the photo.

Fab travels from Abbeyleix to give photo she took of Diana to Prince William ⁦@RTENewsNow⁩ #RoyalVisitIreland pic.twitter.com/KMhTbaXtRZ
— TERESA MANNION (@TeresaMannion) March 5, 2020