RTÉ News Deputy Foreign Editor Anthony Murnane examines the current situation facing Aung San Suu Kyi as the opposition leader in Burma.
Aung San Suu Kyi will arrive in Ireland after she delivers her acceptance speech in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991.
The Burmese pro-democracy leader has had a busy time since she was released from house arrest in November 2010.
Her first foreign trip in over 20 years was to Thailand last month.
She was greeted by thousands of supporters during a visit that came only weeks after she swore the oath of office and led 42 of her National League for Democracy party members into parliament.
However, their numbers are not significant enough to wield any power under the government of President Thein Sein.
Among the democratic changes by the military leaders were the elections on 1 April and the release of hundreds of prisoners, including prominent political prisoners such as Ms Suu Kyi herself.
On her first foreign trip in 22 years to Thailand, she told the World Economic Forum in Bangkok that a ''healthy scepticism is in order'' in relation to the reforms.
Ms Suu Kyi realises she needs to be tactical in her battles. Already she has joined her MPs in swearing an oath of office after failing to replace the phrase ''safeguard the constitution'' with ''respect the constitution''.
For his part, ruling general Thein Sein is facing a challenge at home from a wave of sectarian violence in western Rakhine state, where a state of emergency has been imposed in response to violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims.
Ms Suu Kyi has called for "sympathy" with minorities in the wake of the unrest.
Pushing the democratic agenda will be difficult for the opposition.
Most of the seats in parliament are still held by the military backed ruling party and the army and any constitutional change needs a 75% majority.
But now Ireland is to be visited by The Lady - a woman of regal carriage who has fought oppression and violence with peaceful means for more than two decades.
