Martin McGuinness spoke about the Queen’s loss during troubles
Martin McGuinness, the former IRA commander, told the Queen he recognised that she too had lost a loved one during the Troubles.
The deputy first minister of Northern Ireland revealed that he addressed the 1979 murder of Earl Mountbatten, the Queen’s cousin, when they met in Belfast on Wednesday.
Appearing on a talk show on Irish television, Mr McGuinness said the Queen she was gracious when he mentioned the killing.
He said he would not go into detail about the private eight-minute conversation, which followed a historic handshake between the pair.
But added: “I said to the Queen and the Duke they too had lost a loved one.”
Earl Mountbatten – who was the Duke of Edinburgh’s uncle – was killed on board a boat off Mullaghmore by an IRA gang using a radio controlled bomb.
One of the earl’s twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14, and Paul Maxwell, 15, a local teenager employed to help on the boat, also died in the explosion
The conversation between the Queen and the Sinn Fein MP, who refuses to take up his seat in the Commons because it would necessitate swearing an oath of allegiance to the monarch, took place at the Lyric Theatre during a jubilee tour.
Mr McGuinness has already admitted that he was “conscious” of how uncomfortable the Queen must have felt during their meeting.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Friday, Mr McGuinness said he added that it was a “very positive engagement”.
John Humphrys, the presenter, had asked him: “Were you conscious of the fact that she would have been thinking this is a man whose colleagues murdered my cousin?”
He said: “I was very conscious of that.
“I also understood or recognised that this would be a difficult meeting for Queen Elizabeth but I think both of us entered the project with good grace.”
Mr McGuinness also insisted that the Northern Irish peace process remained a route map to the “perfectly reasonable and legitimate” reunification of Ireland.
He said that it was not an “extreme” view to think that a “historical wrong” should be righted and the country could return to the Republic.
“I approach all this as an Irish Republican, as somebody who wants tp convince people in Britain and indeed their elective representatives that they should become involved as persuaders to bring about the eventual reunification of Ireland,” he said.
“I don’t think it is daft to appeal to the people of Britain to recognise that an historical wrong should be righted.
“We have a route map to do that. The British government have recognised the fact that the if the people vote to end their links with Britain then they are duty bound to legislate to do that.
“That is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate political objective and aspiration for Sinn Fein to work towards and also perfectly legitimate to appeal to people to support that.
“There is absolutely nothing extreme about that. I think it is highly offensive to us that people would try to portray that as some sort of extreme view.”
He said that the historic handshake was “highly symbolic”
“I think I was very conscious of the highly symbolic nature of what was about to happen. We don’t rush into these things. it was very carefully considered.
“I thought that this was a real opportunity to extend the hand of friendship, peace and reconciliation to those hundreds of thousands of unionists in the north who have a great affinity for the Queen, Queen Elizabeth.
“This was an opportunity to continue to propel the peace process forward to the next essential stage which is one of national reconciliation upon the island of Ireland.”
Thomas McMahon, 31, was convicted of the murder of Lord Mountbatten and two of his relatives in a bomb blast on his boat.
He had been detained in the area by police on suspicion of driving a stolen car two hours before the bomb went off.
McMahon was set free in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement.
Minister for jobs Richard Bruton & Irish companies on trade mission to France
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton is travelling with representatives of 36 companies to France today on a trade mission.
Richard Bruton said the mission was aimed at opening new doors for increase export business
Irish exports to France have been experiencing strong growth and are now worth €10bn per year.
During the three day visit, Mr Bruton will attend a series of meetings in the Brittany and Paris regions with representatives of leading French and Irish companies.
They will also attend events to promote Irish exporters in key sectors, including agri-technologies, cleantech, engineering and construction.
Mr Bruton said two way trade between Ireland and France was at record levels and there was an opportunity for substantial growth over the next three years.
He said this mission was aimed at building on the existing links, as well as opening new doors for increased export business.
Woman found dead in house after Donegal fire
A 40-year-old woman has died in a house fire in Co Donegal
The woman who lived alone was found dead in the hallway of her home at Dunmore Lane, Falcarragh, Co Donegal, gardai said.
The incident was reported at around 9.30pm on Saturday night.
Gardai said there was evidence that a fire had occurred in the living room of the home but it had burnt out some time before the woman was found.
The house has been preserved for a forensic technical examination and a post-mortem examination will take place on Monday.
The woman’s death is being treated as a tragic accident, gardai said.
Motorcyclist dies after collision with car in Galway
A man in his 20s has died after the motorbike he was driving was involved in a crash with a car on the Gort to Scarrif road.
The motorbike and a car crashed shortly after 10am this morning at Inchaboy South. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two people travelling in the car were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The road is closed in order for Garda forensic collision investigators to examine the area. Diversions are in place.
Irish Government pays €1.3bn for Irish Life as takeover deal is finally clinched
The Government has formally taken over Irish Life, after the acquisition from Permanent TSB was finally completed yesterday.
The State is paying €1.3bn for the investment group, and the completion comes a day after the High Court dismissed a challenge to the sale by a group of Irish Life and Permanent Group’s shareholders, who claimed the price under-valued the company.
The deal finalises the recapitalisation of PTSB, which has received some €4bn from the State since March last year. Permanent TSB and Irish Life customers are unaffected by the sale, with their policies all remaining unchanged.
After the sale was completed, Irish Life’s chief executive Kevin Murphy and finance director David McCarthy resigned from the Permanent TSB group board. Mr Murphy plans to retire from Irish Life at the end of the year.
PTSB bank chief executive Jeremy Masding will head the PTSB group. Alan Cook will chair both companies until they are totally separated.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan welcomed the completion.
“I am pleased that, having successfully defended a legal challenge (on the case), the acquisition of Irish Life can now be concluded. This transaction represents the completion of the recapitalisation of Irish Life & Permanent allowing the bank to focus now on the successful implementation of its proposed strategy,” the minister said.
“Irish Life is a valuable asset and we will allow it to operate as a commercial entity with the clear objective of maximising the proceeds for the State on an eventual sale when market conditions allow.”
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