TEARS FLOWING BRAVE SHAUNA SAYS GOODBYE
Tears flowing, brave Shauna says goodbye
By Lindy McDowell
THE air was heavy with a scent of summer flowers and the sound of a choir singing.
And all along the country roads that led to St Patrick's Church Drumquin, great rivers of mourners made their way to pay their last respects to Philomena Skelton.
'Mena' as she was known by those who loved her was a mother of four teenage children.
Last Saturday she and her husband Kevin had gone with their three daughters Paula (18),Tracy(15),Shauna(13) and Paula's boyfriend on a shopping trip to Omagh to buy school uniforms.
Their son Ray (16) had gone fishing. Apart from Christmas it was only Philomena's second shopping trip to Omagh in the year.
The couple's youngest daughter Shauna was among those seriously injured in the blast
And yesterday the little red-haired girl, her face heavily bandaged and wet with tears was allowed out of hospital for a few hours to join the rest of her grieving family in saying farewell to a dear mother and loving wife.
Hundreds of people packed in to the big round modern church.
Hundreds more stood outside.
Schoolfriends of the Skelton children from St John's School and the Loreto Convent joined members of the Drumquin Wolfe Tone GAA club in forming a guard of honour as the coffin was carried into church.
There they heard parish priest Father Robert Devine tell them how last Saturday, a darkness descended on this community".
But he assured them "God understands the suffering of those afflicted by evil. He is with us all. He is with Kevin and the children and with Mena's mother."
Prayers were said for all the victims of the bombing. But Fr Devine told them too: "We are minded of our duty to pray for the perpetrators of this evil deed that they might repent"
The congregation included Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon, Lord fitt and a representative of the NIO.
Kevin and Philomena Skelton would have been married 20 years on August 31. In a moving tribute shortly after her death Kevin, a well-known GAA referee, said that she had given him 20 happy years and four good children.
The comfort and support of the community enveloped her grieving husband and her young son Ray as they helped carry Philomena Skelton to her final resting place.
And as they did the air was heavy with the sound of weeping for a woman who died. A victim of hate but a woman who will live in the memory of her family.friends and neighbours as an enduring example of love.
By Lindy McDowell
THE air was heavy with a scent of summer flowers and the sound of a choir singing.
And all along the country roads that led to St Patrick's Church Drumquin, great rivers of mourners made their way to pay their last respects to Philomena Skelton.
'Mena' as she was known by those who loved her was a mother of four teenage children.
Last Saturday she and her husband Kevin had gone with their three daughters Paula (18),Tracy(15),Shauna(13) and Paula's boyfriend on a shopping trip to Omagh to buy school uniforms.
Their son Ray (16) had gone fishing. Apart from Christmas it was only Philomena's second shopping trip to Omagh in the year.
The couple's youngest daughter Shauna was among those seriously injured in the blast
And yesterday the little red-haired girl, her face heavily bandaged and wet with tears was allowed out of hospital for a few hours to join the rest of her grieving family in saying farewell to a dear mother and loving wife.
Hundreds of people packed in to the big round modern church.
Hundreds more stood outside.
Schoolfriends of the Skelton children from St John's School and the Loreto Convent joined members of the Drumquin Wolfe Tone GAA club in forming a guard of honour as the coffin was carried into church.
There they heard parish priest Father Robert Devine tell them how last Saturday, a darkness descended on this community".
But he assured them "God understands the suffering of those afflicted by evil. He is with us all. He is with Kevin and the children and with Mena's mother."
Prayers were said for all the victims of the bombing. But Fr Devine told them too: "We are minded of our duty to pray for the perpetrators of this evil deed that they might repent"
The congregation included Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon, Lord fitt and a representative of the NIO.
Kevin and Philomena Skelton would have been married 20 years on August 31. In a moving tribute shortly after her death Kevin, a well-known GAA referee, said that she had given him 20 happy years and four good children.
The comfort and support of the community enveloped her grieving husband and her young son Ray as they helped carry Philomena Skelton to her final resting place.
And as they did the air was heavy with the sound of weeping for a woman who died. A victim of hate but a woman who will live in the memory of her family.friends and neighbours as an enduring example of love.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0128
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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