The Prince of Wales has begun a poignant trip to the Republic of Ireland with a historic handshake with Gerry Adams, one of the most prominent and controversial republican figures of the last 50 years.
Charles agreed to the meeting after a request by the Sinn Fein president and former MP for Belfast West in a move which would have been unthinkable until a few years ago and sets the tone for the four day visit.
The two men smiled at each other as they shook hands for several seconds and exchanged words in a packed hall as the prince toured the National University of Ireland Galway in the first engagement of his packed agenda.
Charles was holding a cup and saucer of tea as he cordially greeted Mr Adams, who leaned forward to speak close to the Prince's ear several times. He then introduced the royal to the man standing next to him, before Charles continued down a line of assembled dignitaries.
Mr Adams is the most senior republican to meet the Prince and it comes after his party colleague Martin McGuinness, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and former IRA commander, shook hands with Charles at a state banquet in Windsor Castle last year and met the Queen in 2012.
Meeting him comes on the eve of the royal's emotional walkabout in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
Prince Charles shakes hands with Gerry Adams
The Prince of Wales has begun a poignant trip to Ireland with a historic handshake with Gerry Adams, one of the most prominent and controversial republican figures of the last 50 years
The Prince of Wales shakes hands with Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams at the National University of Ireland in Galway, the Republic of Ireland's fourth city Photo: Brian Lawless/PA
By Agency
19 May 2015
The Telegraph
The Prince of Wales has begun a poignant trip to Ireland with a historic handshake with Gerry Adams, one of the most prominent and controversial republican figures of the last 50 years.
Charles agreed to the meeting after a request by the Sinn Fein president in a move which would have been unthinkable until a few years ago and sets the tone for the four day visit.
The two men smiled at each other as they shook hands for several seconds and exchanged words in a packed hall as the prince toured the National University of Ireland Galway in the first engagement of his packed agenda.
Charles was holding a cup and saucer of tea as he cordially greeted Mr Adams, who leaned forward to speak close to the Prince's ear several times. He then introduced the royal to the man standing next to him, before Charles continued down a line of assembled dignitaries.
Mr Adams is the most senior republican to meet the Prince and it comes after his party colleague Martin McGuinness, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and former IRA commander, shook hands with Charles at a state banquet in Windsor Castle last year and met the Queen in 2012.
Meeting him comes on the eve of the royal's emotional walkabout in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
The Queen's uncle, Lord Mountbatten, was killed by an IRA bomb blast on his boat in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, in 1979. One of the earl's twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14; Paul Maxwell, 15, a local employed as a boat boy; and Lady Doreen Brabourne, the 83-year-old mother-in-law of the earl's daughter, also died in the explosion
The 79-year-old cousin of the Queen, who was Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command during World War II, was targeted by the IRA as he set off with family and a local teenager to gather lobster pots and fish for shrimp 600 yards from the harbour of the normally peaceful fishing village.
Lord Mountbatten was murdered along with Lady Doreen Brabourne, the 83-year-old mother-in-law of the earl's daughter, his 14-year-old grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, and 14-year-old Paul Maxwell, from Killynur, Enniskillen.
Charles, who is said to be excited by his first official visit to Ireland in 13 years, will be in Mullaghmore tomorrow following a service of peace and reconciliation at St Columba's Church, in nearby Drumcliffe.
But the handshake with Mr Adams also chimes with the themes at the prayer gathering and will be seen as the next phase in ever-deepening relations, friendships and bonds between the UK and Ireland.
It was only in 2011 that Sinn Fein took a decision not to allow Mr McGuinness to attend the state banquet in Dublin Castle during the Queen's visit to the Republic.
Charles will be joined over the four days by the Duchess of Cornwall.
It will be the royal couple's first official engagement in Ireland but not the first time in the country for either of them as both have visited many times in a personal capacity, including the Prince's trips to the Duke of Devonshire's Lismore Castle in Co Cork.
Charles was last in the Republic on formal business in 2002 and had previously been in the country in 1995.
Prince Charles shakes hands with Gerry Adams - Telegraph
Charles agreed to the meeting after a request by the Sinn Fein president and former MP for Belfast West in a move which would have been unthinkable until a few years ago and sets the tone for the four day visit.
The two men smiled at each other as they shook hands for several seconds and exchanged words in a packed hall as the prince toured the National University of Ireland Galway in the first engagement of his packed agenda.
Charles was holding a cup and saucer of tea as he cordially greeted Mr Adams, who leaned forward to speak close to the Prince's ear several times. He then introduced the royal to the man standing next to him, before Charles continued down a line of assembled dignitaries.
Mr Adams is the most senior republican to meet the Prince and it comes after his party colleague Martin McGuinness, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and former IRA commander, shook hands with Charles at a state banquet in Windsor Castle last year and met the Queen in 2012.
Meeting him comes on the eve of the royal's emotional walkabout in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
Prince Charles shakes hands with Gerry Adams
The Prince of Wales has begun a poignant trip to Ireland with a historic handshake with Gerry Adams, one of the most prominent and controversial republican figures of the last 50 years
The Prince of Wales shakes hands with Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams at the National University of Ireland in Galway, the Republic of Ireland's fourth city Photo: Brian Lawless/PA
By Agency
19 May 2015
The Telegraph
The Prince of Wales has begun a poignant trip to Ireland with a historic handshake with Gerry Adams, one of the most prominent and controversial republican figures of the last 50 years.
Charles agreed to the meeting after a request by the Sinn Fein president in a move which would have been unthinkable until a few years ago and sets the tone for the four day visit.
The two men smiled at each other as they shook hands for several seconds and exchanged words in a packed hall as the prince toured the National University of Ireland Galway in the first engagement of his packed agenda.
Charles was holding a cup and saucer of tea as he cordially greeted Mr Adams, who leaned forward to speak close to the Prince's ear several times. He then introduced the royal to the man standing next to him, before Charles continued down a line of assembled dignitaries.
Mr Adams is the most senior republican to meet the Prince and it comes after his party colleague Martin McGuinness, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and former IRA commander, shook hands with Charles at a state banquet in Windsor Castle last year and met the Queen in 2012.
Meeting him comes on the eve of the royal's emotional walkabout in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, where his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
The Queen's uncle, Lord Mountbatten, was killed by an IRA bomb blast on his boat in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, in 1979. One of the earl's twin grandsons, Nicholas, 14; Paul Maxwell, 15, a local employed as a boat boy; and Lady Doreen Brabourne, the 83-year-old mother-in-law of the earl's daughter, also died in the explosion
The 79-year-old cousin of the Queen, who was Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command during World War II, was targeted by the IRA as he set off with family and a local teenager to gather lobster pots and fish for shrimp 600 yards from the harbour of the normally peaceful fishing village.
Lord Mountbatten was murdered along with Lady Doreen Brabourne, the 83-year-old mother-in-law of the earl's daughter, his 14-year-old grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, and 14-year-old Paul Maxwell, from Killynur, Enniskillen.
Charles, who is said to be excited by his first official visit to Ireland in 13 years, will be in Mullaghmore tomorrow following a service of peace and reconciliation at St Columba's Church, in nearby Drumcliffe.
But the handshake with Mr Adams also chimes with the themes at the prayer gathering and will be seen as the next phase in ever-deepening relations, friendships and bonds between the UK and Ireland.
It was only in 2011 that Sinn Fein took a decision not to allow Mr McGuinness to attend the state banquet in Dublin Castle during the Queen's visit to the Republic.
Charles will be joined over the four days by the Duchess of Cornwall.
It will be the royal couple's first official engagement in Ireland but not the first time in the country for either of them as both have visited many times in a personal capacity, including the Prince's trips to the Duke of Devonshire's Lismore Castle in Co Cork.
Charles was last in the Republic on formal business in 2002 and had previously been in the country in 1995.
Prince Charles shakes hands with Gerry Adams - Telegraph
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