Prince Charles speech 'an important contribution to peace' says father of IRA Volunteer

A SINN FÉIN councillor in Sligo and father of an IRA Volunteer who was killed on active service says the words of Prince Charles in Sligo on Wednesday are an important contribution to peace and reconciliation which need to be built upon by the Irish and British Governments.

Seán MacManus, former Mayor of Sligo, said:

"As the father of a Volunteer of Óglaigh na hÉireann who was killed in the conflict, I can empathise with the suffering caused to Charles and his family and to many other families by the war in the North of Ireland."

Seán's son, Joe, aged 21, was killed in a shoot-out with a British Army Ulster Defence Regiment soldier on the Donegal/Fermanagh border in February 1992.

During a visit to Sligo, where his uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed in an IRA bomb attack off the coast of Mullaghmore, Britain's Prince Charles expressed regret about the history of Anglo-Irish relations:

"We all have regrets," he said, adding that he is deeply aware of the long history of suffering Ireland has endured.

His comments came a day after he shook hands with Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD and held a private meeting with the republican leader.

Seán MacManus said in Sligo today:

"I believe that there is an onus on us all – and in particular the Irish and British governments – to resolve the injustices of the past and build upon and intensify efforts to foster peace and reconciliation. That is the resolve and the intention of Sinn Féin"

• The coffin of IRA Volunteer Joe MacManus (inset) is carried by his brother Chris and father Seán