NO INVITE TO OMAGH BOMB ARCHIVE FOR VICTIMS' GROUP
No invite to Omagh bomb archive for victims' group
BY CHRIS GOWARD
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE father of an Omagh bomb victim has expressed regret at not being informed of an open day of a display of material aimed at commemorating the atrocity.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the 1998 explosion, said he was disappointed that he had not been invited to the launch of Omagh Bomb Archive Open Week which begins this Saturday.
The new exhibition at Omagh Library will feature letters, tribute cards, newspaper articles and videos relating to the event.
Mr Gallagher, who is chairman of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, helped set up a separate online archive in 2006.
He said: "I think it is regrettable that we have not been informed about this. The Omagh Support and Self Help Group was involved in the launch of the digital archive and I am disappointed that we were not even told that this quite important event was taking place."
However Mr Gallagher said he wished the event well.
He said: "It is of course an excellent opportunity for people to come and see the wealth of material held at the library. I hope it will have success within the Omagh area and beyond."
Margaret Cummings, Western Education and Library Board senior librarian, said only a handful of people had been invited to the opening of the exhibition.
She said: "Because it is only a small event to promote the archive we only asked a few people to come."
She said that over the year the WELB's library service in Omagh had created a special room to house material relating to the Omagh bomb.
The archive room, which holds over 10,000 newspaper articles, 15,000 emails, 818 books of condolence, 52 videos, nearly 3,000 floral tribute cards, 1,000 sympathy cards, 2,000 letters, patchwork quilts and cushions, pictures and other individual items, has been placed in an area which has special environmental conditions to preserve all original material.
Ms Cummings said: "We are very keen to add to our collection so if any member of the public has items they wish to donate to the archive we will be very happy to accept them.
"In the past we have received letters, cards and other artefacts from the general public, council and churches.
"The Omagh bomb is now a part of Omagh's history and something which the library service has a duty to record, preserve and allow access to. Although the atrocity happened almost 10 years ago we continue to add to the collection."
Anyone interested in viewing the archive can visit Omagh Library between May 3 and 10 where staff will be able to give a tour.
Any queries about donation of material can be made by contacting either Evelyn Johns or Margaret Cummings at Omagh library or email info@omagh archive.co.uk.
To access the Omagh archive website visit www.omagharchive.co.uk, which has a key word searchable database.
BY CHRIS GOWARD
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE father of an Omagh bomb victim has expressed regret at not being informed of an open day of a display of material aimed at commemorating the atrocity.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the 1998 explosion, said he was disappointed that he had not been invited to the launch of Omagh Bomb Archive Open Week which begins this Saturday.
The new exhibition at Omagh Library will feature letters, tribute cards, newspaper articles and videos relating to the event.
Mr Gallagher, who is chairman of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, helped set up a separate online archive in 2006.
He said: "I think it is regrettable that we have not been informed about this. The Omagh Support and Self Help Group was involved in the launch of the digital archive and I am disappointed that we were not even told that this quite important event was taking place."
However Mr Gallagher said he wished the event well.
He said: "It is of course an excellent opportunity for people to come and see the wealth of material held at the library. I hope it will have success within the Omagh area and beyond."
Margaret Cummings, Western Education and Library Board senior librarian, said only a handful of people had been invited to the opening of the exhibition.
She said: "Because it is only a small event to promote the archive we only asked a few people to come."
She said that over the year the WELB's library service in Omagh had created a special room to house material relating to the Omagh bomb.
The archive room, which holds over 10,000 newspaper articles, 15,000 emails, 818 books of condolence, 52 videos, nearly 3,000 floral tribute cards, 1,000 sympathy cards, 2,000 letters, patchwork quilts and cushions, pictures and other individual items, has been placed in an area which has special environmental conditions to preserve all original material.
Ms Cummings said: "We are very keen to add to our collection so if any member of the public has items they wish to donate to the archive we will be very happy to accept them.
"In the past we have received letters, cards and other artefacts from the general public, council and churches.
"The Omagh bomb is now a part of Omagh's history and something which the library service has a duty to record, preserve and allow access to. Although the atrocity happened almost 10 years ago we continue to add to the collection."
Anyone interested in viewing the archive can visit Omagh Library between May 3 and 10 where staff will be able to give a tour.
Any queries about donation of material can be made by contacting either Evelyn Johns or Margaret Cummings at Omagh library or email info@omagh archive.co.uk.
To access the Omagh archive website visit www.omagharchive.co.uk, which has a key word searchable database.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1086
Published Date: 28-Apr-08
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