BLAIR SEES TOWN GRAPPLE WITH DEATH
Blair sees town grapple with death
By Martina Purdy
'BUSINESS as usual,' was spray-painted boldly on a wooden makeshift shopfront of Radio Rentals, just a few feet from the blast.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, his expression sombre, stood a few feet away in the eerie silence of the death scene.
The RUC officer in charge of the investigation spoke to Mr Blair quietly as he surveyed the devastation, and the wire cage which forms a box around the spot where the bombers parked the car.
A single Ulster flag flapped in the breeze on a nearby lamppost as Mr Blair prepared to speak to waiting reporters and a handful of well-wishers.
Mr Blair had already visited the Oxfam shop and Wattersons, at the other end of the street.
Inside. Mr Blair met the owners, Tom and Maretta Watterson.
He shook his head as they told him how three of their 27 staff had been killed in the explosion, and he said: "You must be devastated."
Mr Watterson said: "One of them had been here for 26 years, the other for 20, and the other for ten.
"They were all married and had loving families. It's very, very sad.
"We still can"t believe it. We still can't believe that they're not here."
Missing from the lineup of dignitaries which greeted Mr Blair was the Sinn Fein chairman of Omagh District Council, Sean Clarke.
Mr Clarke had been expected to greet the Prime Minister and his absence was later explained. He had to meet the Mayor of Kilkenny.
In the line-up was the Ulster Unionist vice-chairman, Allan Rainey, and the Ulster Unionist MP for West Tyrone, William Thompson.
Mr Blair was accompanied by Secretary of State Mo Mowlam.
At the Oxfam shop Mr Blair appeared close to tears as manager Mabel Kennedy described the "two really good workers" who died.
Mr Blair said: "Oxfam was the very first charity I ever supported."
Staff also appealed to Mr Blair to do what he could to save Omagh's hospital from closure.
Mr Blair said he had been given the same message by victims injured in the explosion whom he visited at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, last week.
"They said how important it was to keep it open," he said.
At the bomb scene, a few shop assistants, hopeful he would make a spontaneous visit to their premises, listened intently as he approached the platform to speak. Mr Blair promised tough measures to ensure there were "no more Omaghs".
He disappointed the workers, however, when he got into his car to leave without greeting them.
Asked what they thought of his words, one snapped: "Rubbish!"
Another said: "He never even looked in the shop. He never came to see the hard work that has been done."
Did they not get in touch with his aides to request the Prime Minister came to see them?
"You shouldn't have to ask. Isn't he the people's man?"
Mr Thompson, the local MP, walked past with his head bowed. He too is upset.
He doesn't think much of Mr Blairs speech.
"I think there's a lot of loopholes. It's only designated organisations: I can bet you Sinn Fein/IRA won't be designated."
But others are just glad to see Tony Blair.
Wilhelmina Wilson, stands outside the tourist office, heartened the Prime Minister has not forgotten the town.
"It gives us a bit of moral support," she said. "It shows he's taking an interest."
Mrs Wilson thinks it is good the police are being given a "free hand' to deal with the bombers.
"I was in Campsie (only yards from the bomb scene). I just happened to stop on the bridge - just one of the lucky ones. There are so many people who had narrow escapes."
By Martina Purdy
'BUSINESS as usual,' was spray-painted boldly on a wooden makeshift shopfront of Radio Rentals, just a few feet from the blast.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, his expression sombre, stood a few feet away in the eerie silence of the death scene.
The RUC officer in charge of the investigation spoke to Mr Blair quietly as he surveyed the devastation, and the wire cage which forms a box around the spot where the bombers parked the car.
A single Ulster flag flapped in the breeze on a nearby lamppost as Mr Blair prepared to speak to waiting reporters and a handful of well-wishers.
Mr Blair had already visited the Oxfam shop and Wattersons, at the other end of the street.
Inside. Mr Blair met the owners, Tom and Maretta Watterson.
He shook his head as they told him how three of their 27 staff had been killed in the explosion, and he said: "You must be devastated."
Mr Watterson said: "One of them had been here for 26 years, the other for 20, and the other for ten.
"They were all married and had loving families. It's very, very sad.
"We still can"t believe it. We still can't believe that they're not here."
Missing from the lineup of dignitaries which greeted Mr Blair was the Sinn Fein chairman of Omagh District Council, Sean Clarke.
Mr Clarke had been expected to greet the Prime Minister and his absence was later explained. He had to meet the Mayor of Kilkenny.
In the line-up was the Ulster Unionist vice-chairman, Allan Rainey, and the Ulster Unionist MP for West Tyrone, William Thompson.
Mr Blair was accompanied by Secretary of State Mo Mowlam.
At the Oxfam shop Mr Blair appeared close to tears as manager Mabel Kennedy described the "two really good workers" who died.
Mr Blair said: "Oxfam was the very first charity I ever supported."
Staff also appealed to Mr Blair to do what he could to save Omagh's hospital from closure.
Mr Blair said he had been given the same message by victims injured in the explosion whom he visited at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, last week.
"They said how important it was to keep it open," he said.
At the bomb scene, a few shop assistants, hopeful he would make a spontaneous visit to their premises, listened intently as he approached the platform to speak. Mr Blair promised tough measures to ensure there were "no more Omaghs".
He disappointed the workers, however, when he got into his car to leave without greeting them.
Asked what they thought of his words, one snapped: "Rubbish!"
Another said: "He never even looked in the shop. He never came to see the hard work that has been done."
Did they not get in touch with his aides to request the Prime Minister came to see them?
"You shouldn't have to ask. Isn't he the people's man?"
Mr Thompson, the local MP, walked past with his head bowed. He too is upset.
He doesn't think much of Mr Blairs speech.
"I think there's a lot of loopholes. It's only designated organisations: I can bet you Sinn Fein/IRA won't be designated."
But others are just glad to see Tony Blair.
Wilhelmina Wilson, stands outside the tourist office, heartened the Prime Minister has not forgotten the town.
"It gives us a bit of moral support," she said. "It shows he's taking an interest."
Mrs Wilson thinks it is good the police are being given a "free hand' to deal with the bombers.
"I was in Campsie (only yards from the bomb scene). I just happened to stop on the bridge - just one of the lucky ones. There are so many people who had narrow escapes."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0277
Published Date: 26-Aug-98
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