Prince Charles helps to free village from shadows of past

After all the meticulously prepared speeches and polite exchanges, it was casual talk of shrimping boats and tides that held Prince Charles rapt.

He stood a few feet from the slipway at Mullaghmore, listening intently as local hotelier Peter McHugh described the workings of the small harbour, his gaze fixed on the heather-blue water.

Their conversation could have been very different, for Charles lost loved ones here and Peter saw the devastation first hand. But easy chat about boats and fishing is what they, and the people of Mullaghmore, would like this place to inspire.