Advertisement

Charles In Ireland: We've All Suffered Too Much

Prince Charles has made a speech on the final day of his visit to Ireland saying: "We have all suffered too much."

Visiting Corrymeela peace centre in Co Antrim, the Prince said it was time to "heal" and that too many people had been "killed or maimed".

Charles said Northern Ireland should not be imprisoned by its history as he called for shared healing between the divided communities.

He visited the country's oldest peace and reconciliation centre at the conclusion of a trip which has been all about healing past wounds.

The daughter of Lord Mountbatten has supported the Corrymeela Centre for years in its work with victims of violence on all sides.

Charles paid tribute to his great uncler this week during a poignant visit to the scene of his 1979 killing by the IRA on a boat off Ireland's west coast.

He said: "By our shared wounds and scars we can I hope, I pray, share healing and a friendship made all the stronger for the trials it has overcome.

"We have all suffered too much, too many people's loved ones have been killed or maimed.

"Surely it is time, as I said in Sligo two days ago, that we became the subjects of our history and not its prisoners."

Earl Mountbatten had enjoyed summer holidays for decades at nearby Classiebawn Castle.

He was blown up on board the pleasure boat Shadow V after he set out from the harbour at Mullaghmore to pick lobster pots and fish.

The other victims were Lady Doreen Brabourne, 83, the mother-in-law of Mountbatten's daughter, who died a day later; Nicholas Knatchbull, the earl's grandson, who was 14; and his friend Paul Maxwell, a 15-year-old local boy from Killynure, Enniskillen, who had worked on preparing the royal boat for fishing.

Countess Mountbatten set up the Nicholas Knatchbull Memorial Fund in 2006 in memory of her son.

The fund has supported family week programmes at Corrymeela for a number of years.

The Corrymeela Centre worked with victims throughout the Troubles and opened its doors 50 years ago.