LETTER FROM VICTOR BARKER WHO LOST HIS SON IN OMAGH OUTRAGE
Letter from Victor Barker who lost his son in Omagh outrage
Sir,
I should be most grateful if you would be kind enough to publish the following letter of thanks to the people of Donegal, Ireland and Northern Ireland in the next edition of your paper.
James, our first born son, was killed in a most cowardly and inhumane fashion in the bomb in Omagh on August 15, along with his friends Sean McLaughlin and Fernando Blasco, and several other children and adults from Donegal and Omagh.
The experience of identifying our son in Omagh in the early hours of Sunday morning was horrific, and the pain has been a burden too heavy for most people to bear.
It is only through the love and kindness of so many people around us that we have managed to come through this terrible ordeal. The sight of the many hundreds and perhaps thousands of people lining the streets from Derry to Donegal when we returned from Omagh with our son brought warmth and comfort to all our family, as did the arrival of so many people at our house to pay their respects and offer their condolences.
In particular, I wish to thank Fr. Joseph Carolan, Fr. Shane Bradley and Bishop Hegarty, Bishop of Derry, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the Garda of Buncrana, as well as all the people of Omagh and Buncrana, who have all been a tower of strength and support to all of us. What would we have done without you all? We have had so many cards, flowers and messages of goodwill that it will be impossible for us to reply to each and every individual one of you -and this is why we are sending you our sincere thanks in this letter.
My particular personal thanks go to Father Charlie Keaney who has spent so much time with me, and Father Carolan who looks after my wife and visits her every day.
I WISH EVERYONE TO KNOW that my wife and I do not feel that the people who perpetrated this dreadful deed are in any way representative of the people of Buncrana, or indeed of Ireland or Northern Ireland. We just hope that this small minority of evil minded individuals will now sit back, think of the hurt they have inflicted, and stop any more killings.
We came to Donegal a year or so ago and have no regrets at all that we made that decision. James had a wonderful year here playing football, fishing, walking and going to the town with his friends. The memories of that time will give us hope and courage in the future to carry on without him, no matter how difficult that will be.
God bless you all and keep you in peace.
VICTOR E. BARKER Ballintrae, Military Road, Buncrana.
Sir,
I should be most grateful if you would be kind enough to publish the following letter of thanks to the people of Donegal, Ireland and Northern Ireland in the next edition of your paper.
James, our first born son, was killed in a most cowardly and inhumane fashion in the bomb in Omagh on August 15, along with his friends Sean McLaughlin and Fernando Blasco, and several other children and adults from Donegal and Omagh.
The experience of identifying our son in Omagh in the early hours of Sunday morning was horrific, and the pain has been a burden too heavy for most people to bear.
It is only through the love and kindness of so many people around us that we have managed to come through this terrible ordeal. The sight of the many hundreds and perhaps thousands of people lining the streets from Derry to Donegal when we returned from Omagh with our son brought warmth and comfort to all our family, as did the arrival of so many people at our house to pay their respects and offer their condolences.
In particular, I wish to thank Fr. Joseph Carolan, Fr. Shane Bradley and Bishop Hegarty, Bishop of Derry, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the Garda of Buncrana, as well as all the people of Omagh and Buncrana, who have all been a tower of strength and support to all of us. What would we have done without you all? We have had so many cards, flowers and messages of goodwill that it will be impossible for us to reply to each and every individual one of you -and this is why we are sending you our sincere thanks in this letter.
My particular personal thanks go to Father Charlie Keaney who has spent so much time with me, and Father Carolan who looks after my wife and visits her every day.
I WISH EVERYONE TO KNOW that my wife and I do not feel that the people who perpetrated this dreadful deed are in any way representative of the people of Buncrana, or indeed of Ireland or Northern Ireland. We just hope that this small minority of evil minded individuals will now sit back, think of the hurt they have inflicted, and stop any more killings.
We came to Donegal a year or so ago and have no regrets at all that we made that decision. James had a wonderful year here playing football, fishing, walking and going to the town with his friends. The memories of that time will give us hope and courage in the future to carry on without him, no matter how difficult that will be.
God bless you all and keep you in peace.
VICTOR E. BARKER Ballintrae, Military Road, Buncrana.
Further Information
Publisher: DONEGAL DEMOCRAT
Ref: DOD/032
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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