BT/0410

Omagh fund expected to top £2m
By Kathryn Torney

DONATIONS to the Omagh bomb fund are expected to top £2m by Christmas, it was revealed today.
Over £500,000 has been raised for the bereaved and injured since the atrocity which devastated the town exactly one month ago today.
The trust fund set up by First Trust bank is expected to pass the £2m mark in the next three months as money comes in from planned events.
The group of trustees who will administer and distribute the funds is due to be named this weekend.
Chief finance officer for Omagh District Council. Joan McCaffrey, said: "It is very difficult to put a figure on the money in the trust fund, but we anticipate raising at least £2m by the end of the year.
The trust has not actually been launched yet and when it is, we are hoping the publicity will raise awareness again.
"It is amazing how much has been raised and it shows thoughtful people are. We have had individual contributions ranging between £5 and £2,000.
"Some of the money will help those people who have significant injuries, including a lot of young people."
Books of condolences opened in the aftermath of the Omagh tragedy were due to close today.
More than 100,000 people are estimated to have signed books all over Northern Ireland.
Over 150 books of condolences have been gathered up by Omagh District Council.
The thousands of messages of support came from all across the province in the form of poems, messages and simple signatures.
Around 3,000 signatures have been collected by each local council - and this figure does not include the many books in shops, civic centres and churches.
In Belfast, upwards of 13,000 people added their thoughts to 11 packed books at City Hall.
And over 4,000 people logged on to the Belfast Telegraph website to add their name to an on-line book of condolence.
In Omagh itself, loose-leaf books dotted around the council district were due to close today, although anyone who still wishes to contribute will not be turned away.
A private viewing ceremony is to be held by Omagh council for relatives of the victims before the massive demonstration of communal grief goes on public display.
The council plan to display the books in a permanent memorial place, along with an art form made out of the many bunches of flowers sent to the grieving town.
Meanwhile, around £300,000 was raised for the victims of the bombing by a star-studded golf tournament organised by top Ulster golfer Darren Clarke at Portmarnock Links outside Dublin yesterday.
Among the hotshots on the greens were Colin Montgomerie, who won the British Masters on Sunday, Jose Maria Olazabel, Ian Woosnam, Eamonn Darcy and Andrew Coltart.
Other famous faces included Formula One driver Damon Hill and Jordan team boss Eddie Jordan, who flew in from Monza fresh from the Italian Grand Prix.
Darren Clarke said afterwards: "People's lives can't be brought back again, but this money may go some small way to helping some rehabilitation."
Meanwhile, the mothers of two of the young girls murdered in the blast are to pay an emotional tribute by taking on their voluntary work in Oxfam. Samantha McFarland (17) and her friend Lorraine Wilson (15) were both working in Omagh's Oxfam store in the town centre on the day of the blast.
Today, the Omagh bombing is due to be debated in the new Northern Ireland Assembly.
It is expected to be an emotional discussion, which will take a number of hours.