ANNIVERSARY SERVICES IN OMAGH THIS WEEKEND
Anniversary services in Omagh this weekend
There will be two commemorations in Omagh this weekend to mark the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bombing.
The 10th anniversary will be marked on Friday, Aug. 15, by a civic commemorative ceremony that will include the dedication of the Garden of light memorial. In addition, the Omagh Support and Self Help Group will continue its tradition of the past five years of holding a memorial service on the Sunday that falls closest to the anniversary. That commemoration will take place on Sunday, Aug. 17, and the district council is making the memorial garden available for the commemoration.
The memorial that will be dedicated on Friday, is intended "to honour and remember the 31 men, women and children who were killed, the hundreds injured and those whose lives were changed forever in the Omagh bomb," according to the words on the wall of the memorial garden.
A statement released this week by Omagh District Council reported that council executives met with members of the support and self-help group to discuss arrangements for the 10th anniversary commemoration ceremony. Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, was killed in the explosion, is chairman of the support and self help group. He has confirmed that he is encouraging people to attend both ceremonies.
"This constructive meeting followed on from an ongoing programme of consultation with all of the bereaved families, and a series of briefing meetings with Omagh Support and Self Help Group," according to the statement. "During the meeting reference was made to recent negative comments and incidents, and both parties agreed that these were regrettable and detracted from the dignity of the 10th anniversary commemoration." The statement did not detail the comments.
The memorial will not include the names of all the people who were killed in the explosion. Some family members who lost relatives in the explosion are said to be unhappy about aspects of the memorial or have other reasons for not wanting their loved one's name included in it.
Omagh council officials said the civic commemoration is aimed at "providing an opportunity for the community as a whole to come together in reflection and remembrance." They cited the words of Rev. Dr. John Dunlop, who was chairperson of the team the district council appointed to facilitate discussions on the memorial.
The Rev. Dunlop said he hoped that "on the 10th anniversary of the bomb, when the memorial is dedicated, all the people of Omagh will stand together and the memorial itself and the unity, faith and hope of the people will be the most eloquent, powerful and enduring response to those who planted the bomb."
There will be two commemorations in Omagh this weekend to mark the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bombing.
The 10th anniversary will be marked on Friday, Aug. 15, by a civic commemorative ceremony that will include the dedication of the Garden of light memorial. In addition, the Omagh Support and Self Help Group will continue its tradition of the past five years of holding a memorial service on the Sunday that falls closest to the anniversary. That commemoration will take place on Sunday, Aug. 17, and the district council is making the memorial garden available for the commemoration.
The memorial that will be dedicated on Friday, is intended "to honour and remember the 31 men, women and children who were killed, the hundreds injured and those whose lives were changed forever in the Omagh bomb," according to the words on the wall of the memorial garden.
A statement released this week by Omagh District Council reported that council executives met with members of the support and self-help group to discuss arrangements for the 10th anniversary commemoration ceremony. Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, was killed in the explosion, is chairman of the support and self help group. He has confirmed that he is encouraging people to attend both ceremonies.
"This constructive meeting followed on from an ongoing programme of consultation with all of the bereaved families, and a series of briefing meetings with Omagh Support and Self Help Group," according to the statement. "During the meeting reference was made to recent negative comments and incidents, and both parties agreed that these were regrettable and detracted from the dignity of the 10th anniversary commemoration." The statement did not detail the comments.
The memorial will not include the names of all the people who were killed in the explosion. Some family members who lost relatives in the explosion are said to be unhappy about aspects of the memorial or have other reasons for not wanting their loved one's name included in it.
Omagh council officials said the civic commemoration is aimed at "providing an opportunity for the community as a whole to come together in reflection and remembrance." They cited the words of Rev. Dr. John Dunlop, who was chairperson of the team the district council appointed to facilitate discussions on the memorial.
The Rev. Dunlop said he hoped that "on the 10th anniversary of the bomb, when the memorial is dedicated, all the people of Omagh will stand together and the memorial itself and the unity, faith and hope of the people will be the most eloquent, powerful and enduring response to those who planted the bomb."
Further Information
Publisher: DONEGAL DEMOCRAT
Ref: DOD10An/04
Published Date: 14-Aug-08
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