CANDLELIT PROCESSION FROM BRIDGEND TO BUNCRANA AS REMAINS TAKEN HOME
Candlelit procession from Bridgend to Buncrana as remains taken home
SHORTLY after midnight on Monday night the hearses carrying the remains of the three Buncrana boys who were killed in the Omagh bomb arrived back at their family homes.
Our staff reporter, Kate Heaney, who was in Buncrana describes the scene as a town united in grief.
Thousands of people in Buncrana waited in stunned, candle lit silence, on Monday night for the return of the remains of the three little boys, who went to Omagh on Saturday for a day out with their Spanish visitors.
At Knockalla Drive, home of Oran Doherty (8) and Shaun McLaughlin (12) family, friends and neighbours kept vigil from around 9.30pm. At Porthaw Glen, on the outskirts of the town, home of James Barker (12) the scene was repeated.
Everyone waited dreading the heart rending scenes they knew were to come when the three hearses finally arrived.
People lined the route of the cortege from Omagh to Buncrana to express their sympathy and horror at what happened on Saturday and to show the families of the little boys that they shared their pain.
At Sion Mills, Strabane and Derry people stood with heads bowed as the three hearses passed by, many holding candles and night lights. When the cortege crossed the border at Bridgend, hundreds of cars from Buncrana joined the sorrowful procession towards their home town.
On Buncrana's Main Street thousands stood in silence, holding lit candles, trying to come to terms with the devastation. The occasional cry of a curlew added to the poignancy of the scene, as if it was echoing the silent cry of this shocked community.
After midnight Superintendent Tom Long informed the families that the hearses were approaching the town. Father Shane Bradley quietly organised the hundreds of children standing around with candles into a group at the bottom of Knockalla Drive, ready to meet the hearses. He began to say the Rosary, and everyone answered. As the patrol car turned the corner into Knockalla leading the two hearses, the first cry was heard from one of the boy's sisters overcome with grief. It was a harrowing scene.
Three little boys, who full of life, left home excited about their day out on Saturday, had returned in three coffins. The hearses came to a standstill before their homes, only three houses separating them. The only sound was the cries from the families as the two coffins were carried in.
Fr. Shane Bradley went into the Doherty home and Fr. Charles Keaney went to McLaughlin's. Children who had been on the bus trip Fr. Shane Bradley went into the Doherty home and Fr. Charles Keaney went to McLaughlin's. Children who had been on the bus trip and escaped injury began to weep in the street and hug one another. The reality of Saturday's horror beginning to sink in.
For their families it was all the more poignant, grateful that their children had survived but struggling to come to terms with the death of their neighbours children.
"We will never get over this, Buncrana will never forget the fifteenth of August," one neighbour remarked.
For around twenty minutes people just stood in silence until someone in the midst of the crowd began the Rosary again. The five sorrowful mysteries were lead and answered by the huge number of people standing outside.
When the prayer finished, people then started to make their way from one house to the other to pay their respects.
At the Barker home Fr.Joseph Carolan looked after the family, as their family and neighbours tried to comfort them.
Late into the night local children could be seen walking from Knockalla to Portthaw to say goodbye to their friends.
SHORTLY after midnight on Monday night the hearses carrying the remains of the three Buncrana boys who were killed in the Omagh bomb arrived back at their family homes.
Our staff reporter, Kate Heaney, who was in Buncrana describes the scene as a town united in grief.
Thousands of people in Buncrana waited in stunned, candle lit silence, on Monday night for the return of the remains of the three little boys, who went to Omagh on Saturday for a day out with their Spanish visitors.
At Knockalla Drive, home of Oran Doherty (8) and Shaun McLaughlin (12) family, friends and neighbours kept vigil from around 9.30pm. At Porthaw Glen, on the outskirts of the town, home of James Barker (12) the scene was repeated.
Everyone waited dreading the heart rending scenes they knew were to come when the three hearses finally arrived.
People lined the route of the cortege from Omagh to Buncrana to express their sympathy and horror at what happened on Saturday and to show the families of the little boys that they shared their pain.
At Sion Mills, Strabane and Derry people stood with heads bowed as the three hearses passed by, many holding candles and night lights. When the cortege crossed the border at Bridgend, hundreds of cars from Buncrana joined the sorrowful procession towards their home town.
On Buncrana's Main Street thousands stood in silence, holding lit candles, trying to come to terms with the devastation. The occasional cry of a curlew added to the poignancy of the scene, as if it was echoing the silent cry of this shocked community.
After midnight Superintendent Tom Long informed the families that the hearses were approaching the town. Father Shane Bradley quietly organised the hundreds of children standing around with candles into a group at the bottom of Knockalla Drive, ready to meet the hearses. He began to say the Rosary, and everyone answered. As the patrol car turned the corner into Knockalla leading the two hearses, the first cry was heard from one of the boy's sisters overcome with grief. It was a harrowing scene.
Three little boys, who full of life, left home excited about their day out on Saturday, had returned in three coffins. The hearses came to a standstill before their homes, only three houses separating them. The only sound was the cries from the families as the two coffins were carried in.
Fr. Shane Bradley went into the Doherty home and Fr. Charles Keaney went to McLaughlin's. Children who had been on the bus trip Fr. Shane Bradley went into the Doherty home and Fr. Charles Keaney went to McLaughlin's. Children who had been on the bus trip and escaped injury began to weep in the street and hug one another. The reality of Saturday's horror beginning to sink in.
For their families it was all the more poignant, grateful that their children had survived but struggling to come to terms with the death of their neighbours children.
"We will never get over this, Buncrana will never forget the fifteenth of August," one neighbour remarked.
For around twenty minutes people just stood in silence until someone in the midst of the crowd began the Rosary again. The five sorrowful mysteries were lead and answered by the huge number of people standing outside.
When the prayer finished, people then started to make their way from one house to the other to pay their respects.
At the Barker home Fr.Joseph Carolan looked after the family, as their family and neighbours tried to comfort them.
Late into the night local children could be seen walking from Knockalla to Portthaw to say goodbye to their friends.
Further Information
Publisher: DERRY PEOPLE DONEGAL NEWS
Ref: DPDN/008
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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