They gathered for this simple ecumenical service at a headland overlooking the sea where forty years ago the IRA blew up Lord Mountbatten's boat and killed four of the people on board.
In the front row sat the parents and one of the sisters of Paul Maxwell. He was the 15-year-old from Co Fermanagh, who had a summer job helping out on the small fishing vessel, Shadow V.
Among the crowd were several people with vivid memories from that August day. Tony Heenan was a doctor on duty in as the injured and the dead were brought to Sligo General Hospital.
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Kevin Henry was the garda who escorted the Mountbatten party from Classiebawn Castle to their boat in Mullaghmore Habour. Three of the visitors were to die, Lord Mountbatten, Lady Braebourne and their 14-year-old grandchild Nicholas Knatchbull.
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Elizabeth Woodmartin and her husband Dick were out in the boat, fishing, when the explosion took place. They pulled the twin brother of Nicholas Knatchbull from the water. Their action saved his life.
Peter Mc Hugh’s family owned the hotel by the pier. He helped to bring the injured and the dying ashore.
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A number of wreaths were brought by the local community. The chief executive of Sligo County Council and the elected Cathaoirleach, Tom Mc Sharry, were there. The parents of Paul Maxwell said they were moved by the empathy of people in Mullaghmore.
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"Whenever I laugh now, I laugh with sorrow in my eyes." The mother of a Co Fermanagh teenager who was killed in an attack off the coast of Mullaghmore 40 years ago attended a cross-community memorial prayer service today. | https://t.co/AuXVtSXE7G pic.twitter.com/VOGy4w5Rlq
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 27, 2019
One IRA member was convicted for his role in the bombing that took place here. He had a role in planting the explosives. But the person or persons responsible for pushing the lethal remote control button has never been brought to justice.
