At the heart of the historic visit to Ireland this week by Prince Charles is a message about hope and reconciliation that has been articulated in a quiet, dignified and throughly admirable manner by Fermanagh man John Maxwell.

John Maxwell is a father who lost his young son Paul in the bombing of Lord Mountbatten’s boat, the Shadow V, in August 1979 in the seaside village of Mullaghmore. It was a terrible event to be visited on this decent and honourable man and his family, who have all suffered the agonies of the loss of a child, a brother, a nephew and a grandson.

Yesterday, Paul’s family returned to the coastal village in County Sligo, having taken part in a a special service of peace and reconciliation at Drumcliffe Church earlier in the day.

As Prince Charles embarked on his historic visit to Ireland, he also was taking very a personal journey this week. His uncle was Lord Mountbatten and it is well documented how close the two men had been. He was also godfather to Nicholas Knatchbull, who was also killed. It was a first for Prince Charles to visit the place where the lives of those he loved had been lost. It must also be a painful return to the County Sligo village for John Maxwell and his family. His words this week are humbling. Not forgetting too that he is a man who was a major force in bringing integrated education to Enniskillen, and his connections with the integrated sector remain to this day.

How selfless that he returns to this seaside village, so beautiful but the home of terrible memories, and thinks of the greater good. “Such occasions inevitably involve reliving painful memories and emotions, but I feel it is important to contribute what I can to the furtherance of good relations between the two countries,” he said.

Mr Maxwell, with his dignified and modest demeanour underpinned by a generosity of spirit that we have come to know and admire, has been prepared to return to a painful past to give hope for the future.

At the heart of the historic visit to Ireland this week by Prince Charles is a message about hope and reconciliation that has been articulated in a quiet, dignified and throughly admirable manner by Fermanagh man John Maxwell.

John Maxwell is a father who lost his young son Paul in the bombing of Lord Mountbatten’s boat, the Shadow V, in August 1979 in the seaside village of Mullaghmore. It was a terrible event to be visited on this decent and honourable man and his family, who have all suffered the agonies of the loss of a child, a brother, a nephew and a grandson.

Yesterday, Paul’s family returned to the coastal village in County Sligo, having taken part in a a special service of peace and reconciliation at Drumcliffe Church earlier in the day.

As Prince Charles embarked on his historic visit to Ireland, he also was taking very a personal journey this week. His uncle was Lord Mountbatten and it is well documented how close the two men had been. He was also godfather to Nicholas Knatchbull, who was also killed. It was a first for Prince Charles to visit the place where the lives of those he loved had been lost. It must also be a painful return to the County Sligo village for John Maxwell and his family. His words this week are humbling. Not forgetting too that he is a man who was a major force in bringing integrated education to Enniskillen, and his connections with the integrated sector remain to this day.

How selfless that he returns to this seaside village, so beautiful but the home of terrible memories, and thinks of the greater good. “Such occasions inevitably involve reliving painful memories and emotions, but I feel it is important to contribute what I can to the furtherance of good relations between the two countries,” he said.

Mr Maxwell, with his dignified and modest demeanour underpinned by a generosity of spirit that we have come to know and admire, has been prepared to return to a painful past to give hope for the future.