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| Prince Charles to visit scene of 1979 Mountbatten murder | Prince Charles to visit scene of 1979 Mountbatten murder |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Prince of Wales is to visit the Irish village where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten and three other people were killed by a Provisional IRA bomb 36 years ago. | The Prince of Wales is to visit the Irish village where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten and three other people were killed by a Provisional IRA bomb 36 years ago. |
| In a highly personal and public pilgrimage of remembrance, Charles will travel to Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, in the Irish Republic, where the 1979 bombing began one of the bloodiest days of the Troubles. | In a highly personal and public pilgrimage of remembrance, Charles will travel to Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, in the Irish Republic, where the 1979 bombing began one of the bloodiest days of the Troubles. |
| Mountbatten, 79, admiral of the fleet, the last viceroy of India and Prince Philip’s uncle, died instantly in the explosion aboard his fishing boat, Shadow V, on 27 August 1979. | Mountbatten, 79, admiral of the fleet, the last viceroy of India and Prince Philip’s uncle, died instantly in the explosion aboard his fishing boat, Shadow V, on 27 August 1979. |
| Also killed was his 14-year-old grandson, Nicholas Knatchbull, and 15-year-old schoolboy Paul Maxwell, from Killynur, Enniskillen, who was in the village for the summer earning money as a boat boy. Lady Brabourne, 83, the mother of Mountbatten’s son-in-law, John Brabourne, died later of her injuries. | Also killed was his 14-year-old grandson, Nicholas Knatchbull, and 15-year-old schoolboy Paul Maxwell, from Killynur, Enniskillen, who was in the village for the summer earning money as a boat boy. Lady Brabourne, 83, the mother of Mountbatten’s son-in-law, John Brabourne, died later of her injuries. |
| Timothy Knatchbull, twin brother of Nicholas, is thought to be joining the prince on the visit. Badly injured in the blast, he has since been vocal in applauding the reconciliation process, having found his own path to “forgiveness and peace”. | Timothy Knatchbull, twin brother of Nicholas, is thought to be joining the prince on the visit. Badly injured in the blast, he has since been vocal in applauding the reconciliation process, having found his own path to “forgiveness and peace”. |
| The prince will meet local people, some of whom helped pull the bodies and the injured from the sea that day. | The prince will meet local people, some of whom helped pull the bodies and the injured from the sea that day. |
| Before the visit, one of those who witnessed the aftermath of the atrocity said he hoped Mullaghmore would be remembered for the joy it brought the Mountbatten family, who visited every summer for 30 years, and not just the horror. | Before the visit, one of those who witnessed the aftermath of the atrocity said he hoped Mullaghmore would be remembered for the joy it brought the Mountbatten family, who visited every summer for 30 years, and not just the horror. |
| Peter McHugh, a businessman who was in his early 20s when he helped pull bodies from the sea, said: “Mountbatten spent probably 30 years of happy times with himself and his family there and I think it should be remembered from that aspect as well as the ending of his life.” | Peter McHugh, a businessman who was in his early 20s when he helped pull bodies from the sea, said: “Mountbatten spent probably 30 years of happy times with himself and his family there and I think it should be remembered from that aspect as well as the ending of his life.” |
| Hours after the Mountbatten bombing, the IRA’s Warrenpoint ambush in Co Down, Northern Ireland, claimed the lives of 18 soldiers, the British Army’s greatest loss of life in a single incident during the conflict. | Hours after the Mountbatten bombing, the IRA’s Warrenpoint ambush in Co Down, Northern Ireland, claimed the lives of 18 soldiers, the British Army’s greatest loss of life in a single incident during the conflict. |
| The only person convicted of the Mountbatten attack, Thomas McMahon, served 18 years before being released in 1998 under the Good Friday peace agreement. | The only person convicted of the Mountbatten attack, Thomas McMahon, served 18 years before being released in 1998 under the Good Friday peace agreement. |
| Security is tight for the four-day visit to the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland by the prince and the duchess of Cornwall. Charles’s holds the honorary rank of colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment, whose soldiers shot dead 14 people at a civil rights march in Derry on Bloody Sunday in 1972. | Security is tight for the four-day visit to the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland by the prince and the duchess of Cornwall. Charles’s holds the honorary rank of colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment, whose soldiers shot dead 14 people at a civil rights march in Derry on Bloody Sunday in 1972. |
| In 2011, the Queen paid a four-day state visit to the Irish republic, and the following year she shook hands with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin’s deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, which was hailed as a highly significant step. | In 2011, the Queen paid a four-day state visit to the Irish republic, and the following year she shook hands with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin’s deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, which was hailed as a highly significant step. |
| On Tuesday, Charles continued with the theme of reconciliation when he agreed to a request to meet the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams. The two shook hands at a reception in Galway attended by other political leaders, and later spent 10 minutes in private conversation. Adams said afterwards there had been “a meeting of minds”. | On Tuesday, Charles continued with the theme of reconciliation when he agreed to a request to meet the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams. The two shook hands at a reception in Galway attended by other political leaders, and later spent 10 minutes in private conversation. Adams said afterwards there had been “a meeting of minds”. |
| “We spoke about his loss and also the loss suffered by the Maxwell family,” Adams said. “Both he and we expressed our regret for what had happened from 1968 onwards. We were of a common mind. Thankfully all of that is behind us. The war is over.” | “We spoke about his loss and also the loss suffered by the Maxwell family,” Adams said. “Both he and we expressed our regret for what had happened from 1968 onwards. We were of a common mind. Thankfully all of that is behind us. The war is over.” |
| In 1979, Adams said Mountbatten had known the dangers involved in visiting the Irish west coast, and “with his war record I don’t think he could have objected to dying in what was clearly a war situation”. | In 1979, Adams said Mountbatten had known the dangers involved in visiting the Irish west coast, and “with his war record I don’t think he could have objected to dying in what was clearly a war situation”. |
| Mullaghmore parish priest, Fr Christy McHugh, who will be involved in a church service in nearby Drumcliffe on Wednesday promoting peace and reconciliation, said before Charles’s arrival: “This particular visit I think shows that this is another real marker that we can put down and say all the work for peace has been fulfilled. | Mullaghmore parish priest, Fr Christy McHugh, who will be involved in a church service in nearby Drumcliffe on Wednesday promoting peace and reconciliation, said before Charles’s arrival: “This particular visit I think shows that this is another real marker that we can put down and say all the work for peace has been fulfilled. |
| “I know Mullaghmore is blackened by that particular tragedy. But as far as I can make out from listening to people in the last week, everyone is delighted this point has been reached.” | “I know Mullaghmore is blackened by that particular tragedy. But as far as I can make out from listening to people in the last week, everyone is delighted this point has been reached.” |
| But Joe McGowan, a local historian and author, said it should have been a private pilgrimage. “It just resurrects the past again and the notoriety associated with Mullaghmore. We get on with our lives here. It’s not an everyday topic of conversation,” he said. | But Joe McGowan, a local historian and author, said it should have been a private pilgrimage. “It just resurrects the past again and the notoriety associated with Mullaghmore. We get on with our lives here. It’s not an everyday topic of conversation,” he said. |
| “Of course everybody knows it happened. Nobody disliked Mountbatten here. Even though he lived in the big house on the hill, it didn’t create any great storm. We were so used to him in Mullaghmore. Indeed, I don’t think Mountbatten himself would have invited this publicity or wished it on Mullaghmore following that tragic event.” | “Of course everybody knows it happened. Nobody disliked Mountbatten here. Even though he lived in the big house on the hill, it didn’t create any great storm. We were so used to him in Mullaghmore. Indeed, I don’t think Mountbatten himself would have invited this publicity or wished it on Mullaghmore following that tragic event.” |
| He said the village was “being brought back to the grave again” and the media circus had reopened old wounds. “We welcome Charles and Camilla, of course. But if it was private it would have been better,” McGowan said. | He said the village was “being brought back to the grave again” and the media circus had reopened old wounds. “We welcome Charles and Camilla, of course. But if it was private it would have been better,” McGowan said. |
| Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, Charlie Flanagan, said he hoped the visit would bring “further healing as we all reflect on those dark moments across these islands that cast a shadow across cities and towns such as Belfast and Birmingham, Derry and Dublin, Warrenpoint and Warrington, as well as here in Sligo and nearby Enniskillen and Monaghan”. | |
| In 1979, Charles was in Iceland when he heard news of Mountbatten’s death. That night in his journal – extracts of which were published by his biographer Jonathan Dimbleby – he wrote: “A mixture of desperate emotions swept over me – agony, disbelief, a kind of wretched numbness, closely followed by fierce and violent determination to see that something was done about the IRA. | In 1979, Charles was in Iceland when he heard news of Mountbatten’s death. That night in his journal – extracts of which were published by his biographer Jonathan Dimbleby – he wrote: “A mixture of desperate emotions swept over me – agony, disbelief, a kind of wretched numbness, closely followed by fierce and violent determination to see that something was done about the IRA. |
| “Life will never be the same now that he has gone and I fear it will take me a very long time to forgive those people who today achieved something that two world wars and thousands of Germans and Japanese failed to achieve.” | “Life will never be the same now that he has gone and I fear it will take me a very long time to forgive those people who today achieved something that two world wars and thousands of Germans and Japanese failed to achieve.” |
| Who was Lord Mountbatten? | Who was Lord Mountbatten? |
| Louis Mountbatten, an uncle of Prince Philip, was born Prince Louis of Battenberg, but anglicised his surname and was known by the royal family as Uncle Dickie. He rose to become admiral of the fleet, having served with the navy in both world wars, and attaining the ranks of first sea lord then chief of the defence staff. He was the last viceroy of India at the time of partition and independence of India and Pakistan, then served as the first governor general in India. | Louis Mountbatten, an uncle of Prince Philip, was born Prince Louis of Battenberg, but anglicised his surname and was known by the royal family as Uncle Dickie. He rose to become admiral of the fleet, having served with the navy in both world wars, and attaining the ranks of first sea lord then chief of the defence staff. He was the last viceroy of India at the time of partition and independence of India and Pakistan, then served as the first governor general in India. |
| Charles developed a close relationship with him from early childhood, and the two kept up an intense correspondence. Charles wrote in his journal: “I have lost someone infinitely special in my life, someone who showed me enormous affection, who told me unpleasant things I didn’t particularly want to hear, who gave praise where it was due as well as criticism; someone to whom I knew I could confide anything and from whom I would receive the wisest of counsel and advice. In some extraordinary way he combined grandfather, great uncle, father, brother and friend.” | Charles developed a close relationship with him from early childhood, and the two kept up an intense correspondence. Charles wrote in his journal: “I have lost someone infinitely special in my life, someone who showed me enormous affection, who told me unpleasant things I didn’t particularly want to hear, who gave praise where it was due as well as criticism; someone to whom I knew I could confide anything and from whom I would receive the wisest of counsel and advice. In some extraordinary way he combined grandfather, great uncle, father, brother and friend.” |