Twenty-three years ago Ms Maura Kiely's son, Gerard (18), was shot dead as he walked out of St Brigid's Church on the Malone Road in Belfast when loyalist gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on the congregation as it left Mass. Since then Ms Kiely has been a regular visitor to the Corrymeela centre for peace and reconciliation in Ballycastle, Co Antrim.
"Corrymeela was a haven for me. It helped me come to terms with what happened to our son, and also helped me to show forgiveness," she said yesterday as the centre officially opened its new £1.5 million premises.
Ms Kiely now runs courses at Corrymeela for bereaved families and was among those who met Prince Charles yesterday as he attended the dedication of the new building. The former Catholic primate, Cardinal Cahal Daly, was also present, as were representatives of the other churches.
The Rev Ray Davey, who founded Corrymeela in 1965, said the building would be a living and positive symbol of a new society that was coming into being after many bleak years. "We are deeply inspired and encouraged by the affirmation of the agreement and we salute our political leaders for their courage and commitment," Mr Davey said.
Over the past 33 years, more than 250,000 people, many from the South, have taken part in programmes run by Corrymeela. Much of the work is on a cross-community basis, and there are special programmes for young people, women, former prisoners and the bereaved. The new residential centre can cater for up to 120 people. The Corrymeela community has 180 members, and the centre is supported by 6,000 "friends" worldwide.
The President, Mrs McAleese, sent a message saying the work of Corrymeela, in providing a strong witness to the value of bridge-building, had been a great example to the vast majority of Irish people.
A message was also read from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews. He said it was a historic time and that people in both parts of Ireland had spoken decisively for the Belfast Agreement and for peace. The agreement, Mr Andrews said, underscored the importance of reconciliation and recognised the vital role played by organisations such as the Corrymeela community.
Prince Charles was taken on a tour of the new premises, which is perched on top of a hill with a dramatic view of the Antrim coastline. He had to contend with a swirling wind as he paid tribute to the work of Corrymeela on an outdoor podium. He said the centre had been a symbol of hope and reconciliation for more than 30 years.
Young people taking part in a cross-community programme in the centre also met the prince. "Before coming to Corrymeela, I wouldn't have known any Catholics. It was a case of `big, bad them'. When you meet them you see they're just the same, and we can all live together," said Gary Johnson from Belfast.
Most of the funding for the new centre came from the European Union, the International Fund for Ireland, the Community Relations Unit and the American Ireland Fund.
Later in the day Prince Charles visited an award-winning farm in Co Antrim and a women's centre in east Belfast.