I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO SEE MY SON AGAIN
I would give anything to see my son again" - Father
"THEY'RE FILFTH- how could they do this!" the father of Oran Doherty said on Monday as he stood outside his home at Knockalla
Drive, Buncrana overcome with grief.
"I would give anything to see his little feet walk up the road now. He loved Celtic. He was mad about them and always dreamed of going to Parkhead. Now he'll never go," he said.
His distragtht wife, Bernadette, issued the following statement which was relayed to members of the media by a family friend. "Bernadette cannot find in her heart to forgive those people who did this to her son. Oran was a fanatical Celtic supporter. If they knew the hurt they caused they will never do this again. When the Quinn children died Oran was very sad. he said it was ''tight." The main concern of the family is that one Irish person could inflict this pain on another Irish person." the statement read. Oran's sister, Lisa spoke of her shock.
My brother went out for a day out, some fun, and came back in a box. We just cannot understand it. I don't know how these people can sit back after what they did to those wee children.." she said.
"The whole family just can't take it. My mum and dad are going crazy,' Lisa added.
Another sister, Amanda, told how they waited for over 12 hours to hear if Oran was alive or dead.
"It was a very long night, waiting and waiting in hope. The people at the hospital said there was a chance but finally we go the word that there wasn't. Words cannot describe how I feel about the people who killed those innocent wains,"she said.
"They must have no families of their own," she said.
"Oran's grandad Gerry Doherty said he will never live the same life again.
"Our family has been destroyed," he said.
A few doors away Mr John and Mrs Patricia McLaughlin clung to one another in their pain at the loss of Shaun.
"He was an ordinary young fellow who was always smiling and he was a mad United fan. He was just like any other young lad. Everyone loved him. He was such a happy go- lucky boy," said his heart broken father.
"He got the full force of the blast and his face was badly damaged." Mr McLaughlin said.
His heartbroken wife slammed the bombers.
"You could not call them wild dogs - that would be an insult to dogs. What they did was sheer bloody murder. And for what? A piece of bloody land. Well I would rather have my boy back," she said.
Michael Doherty, an uncle of Shaun expressed his feelings.
"I will never forget the feeling of walking through that door and seeing all the bodies laid out, it was a horrible sight. I just hope that no man or woman ever has to go through the pain of identifying their loved ones after such a devastating bomb. We just don't understand why this precious child had to die," he said.
The Barker family only moved to Buncrana ten months ago from England, because they wanted to raise their family in a peaceful and quiet environment. James had passed his eleven plus and was due to go to boarding school in Belfast next month.
The family were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people who called to offer their sympathy. No one wanted the family to feel isolated or alone.
Donna Marie and Victor Barker revealed on Monday that their daughter Estella was meant to go on the fateful trip, but pulled out at the last minute. Uki Blasco, who suffered severe facial injuries had been staying with the Barker family.
"We were having a meal in a restaurant when my mother came and told us what had happened. We rang every hospital in Northern Ireland, but we had to wait three hours before we knew my son was dead.
"In Omagh he had a blanket over his body and they did not want me to look at him. But I had to hold him. When I left him down to get the bus he was so excited that he jumped out of the car before saying good bye. But he did look back at me and smile. He had such a beautiful smile and was such a happy and gifted child," Mr Barker said through her tears.
"THEY'RE FILFTH- how could they do this!" the father of Oran Doherty said on Monday as he stood outside his home at Knockalla
Drive, Buncrana overcome with grief.
"I would give anything to see his little feet walk up the road now. He loved Celtic. He was mad about them and always dreamed of going to Parkhead. Now he'll never go," he said.
His distragtht wife, Bernadette, issued the following statement which was relayed to members of the media by a family friend. "Bernadette cannot find in her heart to forgive those people who did this to her son. Oran was a fanatical Celtic supporter. If they knew the hurt they caused they will never do this again. When the Quinn children died Oran was very sad. he said it was ''tight." The main concern of the family is that one Irish person could inflict this pain on another Irish person." the statement read. Oran's sister, Lisa spoke of her shock.
My brother went out for a day out, some fun, and came back in a box. We just cannot understand it. I don't know how these people can sit back after what they did to those wee children.." she said.
"The whole family just can't take it. My mum and dad are going crazy,' Lisa added.
Another sister, Amanda, told how they waited for over 12 hours to hear if Oran was alive or dead.
"It was a very long night, waiting and waiting in hope. The people at the hospital said there was a chance but finally we go the word that there wasn't. Words cannot describe how I feel about the people who killed those innocent wains,"she said.
"They must have no families of their own," she said.
"Oran's grandad Gerry Doherty said he will never live the same life again.
"Our family has been destroyed," he said.
A few doors away Mr John and Mrs Patricia McLaughlin clung to one another in their pain at the loss of Shaun.
"He was an ordinary young fellow who was always smiling and he was a mad United fan. He was just like any other young lad. Everyone loved him. He was such a happy go- lucky boy," said his heart broken father.
"He got the full force of the blast and his face was badly damaged." Mr McLaughlin said.
His heartbroken wife slammed the bombers.
"You could not call them wild dogs - that would be an insult to dogs. What they did was sheer bloody murder. And for what? A piece of bloody land. Well I would rather have my boy back," she said.
Michael Doherty, an uncle of Shaun expressed his feelings.
"I will never forget the feeling of walking through that door and seeing all the bodies laid out, it was a horrible sight. I just hope that no man or woman ever has to go through the pain of identifying their loved ones after such a devastating bomb. We just don't understand why this precious child had to die," he said.
The Barker family only moved to Buncrana ten months ago from England, because they wanted to raise their family in a peaceful and quiet environment. James had passed his eleven plus and was due to go to boarding school in Belfast next month.
The family were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people who called to offer their sympathy. No one wanted the family to feel isolated or alone.
Donna Marie and Victor Barker revealed on Monday that their daughter Estella was meant to go on the fateful trip, but pulled out at the last minute. Uki Blasco, who suffered severe facial injuries had been staying with the Barker family.
"We were having a meal in a restaurant when my mother came and told us what had happened. We rang every hospital in Northern Ireland, but we had to wait three hours before we knew my son was dead.
"In Omagh he had a blanket over his body and they did not want me to look at him. But I had to hold him. When I left him down to get the bus he was so excited that he jumped out of the car before saying good bye. But he did look back at me and smile. He had such a beautiful smile and was such a happy and gifted child," Mr Barker said through her tears.
Further Information
Publisher: DERRY PEOPLE DONEGAL NEWS
Ref: DPDN/019
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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