POIGNANT PLEA TO PROVINCE AS OMAGH BATTLES BACK
POIGNANT PLEA TO PROVINCE AS OMAGH BATTLES BACK
'Please help us to reclaim our town'
Shoppers from all over the province were today encouraged to visit Omagh to help the town get back on its feet. DAN McGINN reports on efforts to put Omagh back in business
IT could be any town, anywhere in Ulster.
Shoppers dart inside cafes, pubs and shops to escape the cold November wind.
Children dawdle on their way home from school.
Adverts on shop windows urge people to join Christmas Clubs.
But take a step back ' and you realise this is no ordinary town.
This is Omagh - a town in the process of rebuilding itself physically and emotionally after the worst atrocity in the province's history.
A walk through Bridge Street, High Street and Market Street underlines the situation.
The constant noise of drills and hammers draws attention to shops in Dublin Road, Drumragh Avenue and Market Street which are still boarded up.
Market Street, where the bomb exploded, remains sealed off.
Trade is also sluggish, underlining shopowners' concerns that the bomb has left the people of Omagh not only to struggle with the traumatic events of August 15, but with the consequences for town life.
In the three months since the bomb the streets have at times been empty
Michael Gaine, president of Omagh Chamber of Commerce, explained: "People who would have visited this town from both sides of the border before the explosion have been loathe to come back since the bomb.
"Some people are understandably afraid about coming into the town because of the events of August 15th.
"For some, the construction work taking place in the centre of Omagh is an uncomfortable reminder of what happened.
"Others are reluctant to go into the town because they feel they don't want to intrude on people's grief.
"They have a sense of guilt about coming into the town to shop, eat, drink or celebrate birthdays - it's as if they feel they shouldn't be enjoying
themselves."
As a consequence, some businesses have been pushed to the brink of collapse, with the town sustaining losses of 50 jobs already.
And while traders are naturally concerned about falling custom, they are also determined to fight back for the sake of morale in the town.
Today marked the launch of 'Give A Day to Omagh' - the first in a series of initiatives in the run-up to Christmas aimed at getting the town back to its former bustling self.
Residents and outsiders are being encouraged to visit Omagh - not just today but in subsequent weeks.
Patrick Bogues, of Omagh Traders Association, explained: "This is not a commercial initiative. All we're trying to do is rebuild confidence in Omagh town.
"There is no requirement for people to spend money. We just want them to walk around, turn up on the streets, wander around.
"That in itself would be a great psychological boost to people. It would be seen as a sign of the town moving forward."
Mr Bogues sees today's initiative as an important part of the healing process.
"In the months since the bombing, we have been going through what is called the 'storytelling phase' of bereavement, with people coming to terms with their own experiences of the bomb.
"That process will continue and must continue. But Omagh people also need to rebuild and reclaim the town. That is what this initiative is all about."
While the drive to get people back into Omagh is an important part, local people are also anxious not to be misinterpreted as trying to monopolise grief.
Another organiser of the 'Give A Day to Omagh' campaign, the Reverend Robert Herron of Trinity Presbyterian Church, voiced this concern.
"Spirits are understandably low in this town and it would be fair to say that many people are dreading Christmas.
"But at the same time, people are also conscious of the need to move forward.
"Omagh people are also aware that they do not have a monopoly on grief.
"Other communities in these islands have suffered atrocities, individuals have also endured the pain of losing loved ones, sustaining injuries or witnessing acts of violence.
"And while Omagh people will undoubtedly welcome the support of individuals and people coming into the town, they also want to acknowledge and embrace the suffering of others."
'Please help us to reclaim our town'
Shoppers from all over the province were today encouraged to visit Omagh to help the town get back on its feet. DAN McGINN reports on efforts to put Omagh back in business
IT could be any town, anywhere in Ulster.
Shoppers dart inside cafes, pubs and shops to escape the cold November wind.
Children dawdle on their way home from school.
Adverts on shop windows urge people to join Christmas Clubs.
But take a step back ' and you realise this is no ordinary town.
This is Omagh - a town in the process of rebuilding itself physically and emotionally after the worst atrocity in the province's history.
A walk through Bridge Street, High Street and Market Street underlines the situation.
The constant noise of drills and hammers draws attention to shops in Dublin Road, Drumragh Avenue and Market Street which are still boarded up.
Market Street, where the bomb exploded, remains sealed off.
Trade is also sluggish, underlining shopowners' concerns that the bomb has left the people of Omagh not only to struggle with the traumatic events of August 15, but with the consequences for town life.
In the three months since the bomb the streets have at times been empty
Michael Gaine, president of Omagh Chamber of Commerce, explained: "People who would have visited this town from both sides of the border before the explosion have been loathe to come back since the bomb.
"Some people are understandably afraid about coming into the town because of the events of August 15th.
"For some, the construction work taking place in the centre of Omagh is an uncomfortable reminder of what happened.
"Others are reluctant to go into the town because they feel they don't want to intrude on people's grief.
"They have a sense of guilt about coming into the town to shop, eat, drink or celebrate birthdays - it's as if they feel they shouldn't be enjoying
themselves."
As a consequence, some businesses have been pushed to the brink of collapse, with the town sustaining losses of 50 jobs already.
And while traders are naturally concerned about falling custom, they are also determined to fight back for the sake of morale in the town.
Today marked the launch of 'Give A Day to Omagh' - the first in a series of initiatives in the run-up to Christmas aimed at getting the town back to its former bustling self.
Residents and outsiders are being encouraged to visit Omagh - not just today but in subsequent weeks.
Patrick Bogues, of Omagh Traders Association, explained: "This is not a commercial initiative. All we're trying to do is rebuild confidence in Omagh town.
"There is no requirement for people to spend money. We just want them to walk around, turn up on the streets, wander around.
"That in itself would be a great psychological boost to people. It would be seen as a sign of the town moving forward."
Mr Bogues sees today's initiative as an important part of the healing process.
"In the months since the bombing, we have been going through what is called the 'storytelling phase' of bereavement, with people coming to terms with their own experiences of the bomb.
"That process will continue and must continue. But Omagh people also need to rebuild and reclaim the town. That is what this initiative is all about."
While the drive to get people back into Omagh is an important part, local people are also anxious not to be misinterpreted as trying to monopolise grief.
Another organiser of the 'Give A Day to Omagh' campaign, the Reverend Robert Herron of Trinity Presbyterian Church, voiced this concern.
"Spirits are understandably low in this town and it would be fair to say that many people are dreading Christmas.
"But at the same time, people are also conscious of the need to move forward.
"Omagh people are also aware that they do not have a monopoly on grief.
"Other communities in these islands have suffered atrocities, individuals have also endured the pain of losing loved ones, sustaining injuries or witnessing acts of violence.
"And while Omagh people will undoubtedly welcome the support of individuals and people coming into the town, they also want to acknowledge and embrace the suffering of others."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0502
Published Date: 14-Nov-98
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