pacomartin
pacomartin
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September 3rd, 2010 at 12:44:37 PM permalink
The Queen, despite travelling nearly every place in the world over the last 7 decades has never been to Ireland.

Should the Queen go and visit Bundoran, County Donegal? It is the site of the bombing of Lord Mountbatten's boat on 27 August 1979 where Lord Mountbatten, Nicholas Knatchbull, and Baroness Brabourne were all killed by a provisional IRA bomb.

Not everyone knows that Prince Charles was expected to marry Amanda Knatchbull the older sister of Nicholas Knatchbull. Unfortunately he waited and waited to ask Amanda to marry. When he finally did propose it was after the bombing. Amanda lost a brother, a grandmother, and a grandfather in that terrible explosion, and she no longer wanted the public life of a Queen. She turned him down, and he re-met Diana the following year (he had met her previously when she was very young, although now she had just turned 18).

Charles and Amanda were second cousins.


Ben Bulben (rock outcrop), in county Sligo Ireland.


Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, a filming location in the last Harry Potter movie
teddys
teddys
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September 3rd, 2010 at 1:05:21 PM permalink
Has she ever been to Northern Ireland?
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
chook
chook
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September 3rd, 2010 at 1:44:21 PM permalink
The Pope is going to Britain, so why not?
You can't trust a dog to mind your food.
pacomartin
pacomartin
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September 4th, 2010 at 1:22:09 PM permalink
Quote: teddys

Has she ever been to Northern Ireland?



Yes, she goes to Northern Ireland quite regularly.

The royals are increasingly chartering private jets or flying in their own helicopter instead of using the aging VIP military jets. However, the queen only flies on a military jet when going to NI. Charles flies on a chartered jet.

Mullaghmore, where the bombing took place in 1979 is only about 18 miles beyond the border of the Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland. Lord Mountbatten, mistakenly believed that he was safe as he was age 79, his sister in law was in her 80's, and the children were young teenagers. Despite his relation to the royals, he thought he was too old to be a political target anymore. He had owned the holiday home for a long time, and was used to travelling there. He had been a widower for 19 years.

Sinn Féin vice-president Gerry Adams said of Mountbatten's death:

The IRA gave clear reasons for the execution. I think it is unfortunate that anyone has to be killed, but the furor created by Mountbatten's death showed up the hypocritical attitude of the media establishment. As a member of the House of Lords, Mountbatten was an emotional figure in both British and Irish politics. What the IRA did to him is what Mountbatten had been doing all his life to other people; and with his war record I don't think he could have objected to dying in what was clearly a war situation. He knew the danger involved in coming to this country. In my opinion, the IRA achieved its objective: people started paying attention to what was happening in Ireland.

On the same day as the bombing 18 British Army soldiers were ambushed and murdered.
Nareed
Nareed
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September 4th, 2010 at 6:09:14 PM permalink
Quote: pacomartin

Charles flies on a chartered jet.



Too old to flap his ears?
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
pacomartin
pacomartin
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September 7th, 2010 at 12:23:10 PM permalink
Quote: Nareed

Too old to flap his ears?



Prince Charles spent $50K to charter a jet to take him and his party to Northern Ireland (305 miles from London). He is a little hypocritical about his environmental stand. To rent a small jet for four people (no bathroom) is about $4K to $5K for a day trip and return to anywhere in the UK. There is a surcharge of about $1K for overnight. As almost all legs are under 400 miles most adults can avoid using a bathroom for that long.

A true environmentalist might rent a turboprop for such a short distance. You and I might take a commercial plane for a few hundred dollars.
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